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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pop — to visit
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. bark — to shout
  8. vault — a safe
  9. rest — a break
  10. snap — to click
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. board — to get on
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. pop — music
  18. board — a committee
  19. pop — soda
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. rest — what's left

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