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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 120 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: nail · suit · bark · leaves · mug · trunk · content · shower

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. shower — rain
  3. mug — a face
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. content — the amount
  8. suit — to fit
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. shower — to wash
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. content — happy
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mug — to rob
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. suit — clothes
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. bark — to shout
  24. suit — in cards

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