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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. pop — soda
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. foot — a measure
  10. pop — music
  11. staff — employees
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. saw — the tool
  14. staff — employees
  15. saw — the tool
  16. staff — a stick
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. pop — to visit
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. wake — a trail

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