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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. lie — to recline
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. stem — to come from
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. bark — to shout
  12. track — a path
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. track — a song
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. track — to keep track
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. wake — a trail
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. lie — an untruth

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