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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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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 · foot · stick · bound · bark · chip · perch · bay

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bound — obliged
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bark — to shout
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bound — tied together
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. perch — the fish
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. foot — a measure
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. chip — for betting

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