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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. bulb — for light
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cue — a signal
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. fork — in a road
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. chest — of your body
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. cue — a hint
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — to trim
  23. chest — of your body
  24. racket — a loud noise

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