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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bass — the fish
  8. staff — employees
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. chip — to eat
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. chip — for betting
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. bass — low music
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. staff — a stick
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. arm — a part of something

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