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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. mug — to rob
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. mate — a friend
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mate — to breed
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. content — the amount
  20. mate — a partner
  21. content — happy
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. mug — a face
  24. bark — to shout

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