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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 116 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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. mug — to rob
  4. bank — for money
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bank — for money
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bound — tied together
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bank — of a river
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — a committee
  16. bound — certain
  17. mug — a cup
  18. season — in sport
  19. board — to get on
  20. mug — a face
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. wake — a trail
  23. season — of the year
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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