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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. track — to keep track
  4. bank — for money
  5. root — of a word
  6. track — a song
  7. fork — in a road
  8. root — the cause
  9. bore — to tire
  10. track — a path
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bark — to shout
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. root — of a plant
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bank — of a river
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. bank — for money
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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