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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. bark — to shout
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. vault — a safe
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. cabinet — ministers

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