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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: snap · deal · bark · chair · ball · bore · trunk · root

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. bore — to drill
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. root — of a plant
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. ball — a dance
  15. root — of a word
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bore — to tire
  18. snap — to click
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. chair — a leader
  21. root — the cause
  22. deal — to handle
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. bark — to shout

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