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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. fall — the season
  3. staff — employees
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. fall — to drop
  7. march — music
  8. fall — to drop
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. march — the month
  11. current — of water
  12. current — electric
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. staff — a stick
  20. staff — employees
  21. march — the month
  22. mate — a friend
  23. current — happening now
  24. bowl — a dish

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