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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: mark · mine · pit · can · bark · trunk · rest · fork

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  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. mark — a grade
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. can — a tin
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. rest — a break
  8. mark — a trace
  9. pit — in a race
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. bark — to shout
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. pit — a hole
  14. mine — for digging
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. can — a tin
  18. rest — what's left
  19. can — to be able to
  20. fork — in a road
  21. rest — what's left
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  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