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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 120 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. rash — a series
  5. suit — clothes
  6. squash — to crush
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bank — for money
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. suit — to fit
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bank — for money
  13. shower — to wash
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. rash — hasty
  20. bank — of a river
  21. squash — the sport
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. shower — rain

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