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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 120 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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. fine — all right
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. drill — a practice
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. mark — a trace
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. rush — hurry
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. fine — high quality
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. bark — to shout
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. drill — the tool
  24. lie — to recline

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