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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. board — to get on
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. board — a committee
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. chip — for betting
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. sharp — clever
  18. fall — the season
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. bark — to shout
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. fall — to drop
  24. chip — to eat

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com