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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. staff — employees
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. staff — employees
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. bear — the animal
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. capital — money
  10. root — of a plant
  11. staff — a stick
  12. root — the cause
  13. tube — a container
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. tube — the underground
  17. capital — a city
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. wound — an injury
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bear — the animal
  23. ball — a dance
  24. root — of a word

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