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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. staff — a stick
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pop — to visit
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. vault — a safe
  8. staff — employees
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. pop — music
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. staff — employees
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bark — to shout
  24. perch — the fish

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