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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. staff — employees
  7. face — to confront
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. staff — a stick
  11. prune — to trim
  12. row — to paddle
  13. prune — to trim
  14. staff — employees
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. cue — a hint
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. cue — for pool
  19. row — a line
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. face — part of the head
  22. face — to point toward
  23. cue — a signal
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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