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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 · chip · cabinet · file · key · hide · trunk · bore

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. file — a line of people
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. file — a document
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. bore — to tire
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. bore — to drill
  10. key — for a lock
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. key — the most important part
  18. chip — for betting
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. bark — to shout
  22. file — a tool
  23. chip — to eat
  24. key — in music

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