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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. bark — to shout
  5. chip — to eat
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. pass — a permit
  8. tube — a container
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pit — in a race
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. pit — a hole
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. can — a tin
  19. tube — the underground
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. chip — for betting

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