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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bark · cap · trunk · rock · pass · plane · calf · track

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. rock — a stone
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. track — a path
  10. plane — a tool
  11. cap — a lid
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. track — to keep track
  14. cap — of ice
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. pass — a permit
  19. track — a song
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. cap — a hat
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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