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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 124 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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  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. bark — of a tree
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. rest — what's left
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. rest — what's left
  8. wax — to grow
  9. stock — goods
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. rest — a break
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. stock — shares
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. safe — out of danger
  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