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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: press · rock · bark · charge · trunk · leaves · land · pit

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. land — to come down
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. pit — a hole
  6. rock — music
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. land — ground
  9. land — a country
  10. press — newspapers
  11. press — to push
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. charge — in control
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. charge — a price
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. charge — electricity
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. pit — in a race
  21. bark — to shout
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. press — a publisher
  24. rock — a stone

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