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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: trunk · cell · charge · bark · firm · present

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. present — the time now
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. charge — in control
  5. firm — a company
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. cell — in biology
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. present — a gift
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bark — to shout
  13. firm — decided
  14. charge — a price
  15. present — there
  16. charge — electricity
  17. cell — a phone
  18. firm — steady

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