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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. spell — magic
  3. bank — for money
  4. hand — in cards
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. press — a publisher
  8. press — newspapers
  9. present — there
  10. wake — a trail
  11. press — to push
  12. bank — for money
  13. spell — a short time
  14. bark — to shout
  15. hand — help
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. spell — letters
  19. present — a gift
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. present — the time now
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. bank — of a river

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