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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. staff — employees
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. current — of water
  8. staff — a stick
  9. march — the month
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. cue — a signal
  12. march — music
  13. cue — for pool
  14. staff — employees
  15. bark — to shout
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. current — electric
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. current — happening now
  24. march — the month

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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