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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. suit — to fit
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. cell — in biology
  10. bear — the animal
  11. file — a line of people
  12. cell — a phone
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bark — to shout
  21. file — a tool
  22. file — a document
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bear — to put up with

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