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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  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. saw — the tool
  3. bark — to shout
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. pop — soda
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pop — to visit
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. pop — music
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. pit — a hole
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. pound — a weight
  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