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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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. bark — to shout
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. tear — to rip
  6. mark — a trace
  7. staff — a stick
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. mark — a grade
  11. can — to be able to
  12. face — to point toward
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. can — a tin
  15. saw — the tool
  16. tear — from crying
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. face — part of the head
  19. face — to confront
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. tear — from crying
  22. staff — employees
  23. can — a tin
  24. saw — the tool

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