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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  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. rule — a law
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. march — music
  4. swing — to play on
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. suit — to fit
  10. swing — music
  11. march — the month
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. rash — hasty
  15. march — the month
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rash — a series
  18. bark — to shout
  19. suit — in cards
  20. rule — government
  21. swing — in golf
  22. suit — clothes
  23. rule — to rule out
  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