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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 like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. wake — a trail
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bark — to shout
  12. dip — to sink
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. bank — of a river
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. bank — for money
  20. pass — a permit
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. bank — for money

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