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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. face — to confront
  3. bark — to shout
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. bear — the animal
  6. present — there
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. bear — the animal
  14. present — a gift
  15. present — the time now
  16. kick — in football
  17. face — part of the head
  18. stock — goods
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. face — to point toward
  21. stock — shares
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. deal — to handle
  24. kick — a thrill

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