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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 · nail · pound · face · object · trunk · last · court

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. object — a thing
  3. face — part of the head
  4. court — for sport
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. face — to point toward
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. last — finally
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. object — an aim
  15. court — of law
  16. bark — to shout
  17. face — to confront
  18. object — to protest
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. last — to go on
  22. last — final
  23. court — of a king
  24. pound — a weight

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