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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. face — to confront
  3. bank — of a river
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. rock — music
  9. club — for dancing
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bank — for money
  12. face — to point toward
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. rock — a stone
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bank — for money
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. face — part of the head
  19. lie — to recline
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. club — for golf
  24. trunk — of a car

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