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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bank — for money
  3. bark — to shout
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. charge — electricity
  7. perch — the fish
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rule — a law
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. rule — government
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. bank — for money
  18. charge — in control
  19. bass — low music
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. charge — a price

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