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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
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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: bark · rash · lie · wind · last · trunk · tube · roll

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. last — finally
  7. tube — a container
  8. bark — to shout
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. wind — moving air
  12. rash — hasty
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. last — final
  17. lie — to recline
  18. wind — moving air
  19. tube — the underground
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. roll — a list
  23. last — to go on
  24. roll — a cake

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