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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 124 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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. face — part of the head
  3. fall — the season
  4. craft — a skill
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. face — to confront
  8. lean — thin
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. face — to point toward
  13. pop — soda
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. craft — boats
  16. bark — to shout
  17. lean — to bend
  18. pop — to visit
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fall — to drop
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. pop — music

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