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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · mark · safe · wake · cold · bark · mine · suit

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bark — to shout
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. cold — not warm
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. suit — to fit
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. mine — for digging
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. suit — in cards
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. wake — a trail
  20. cold — an illness
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. mark — a grade
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. safe — out of danger

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