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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: chair · trunk · bark · rest · suit · rock · ruler · wax

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. rock — a stone
  6. chair — a leader
  7. bark — to shout
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — clothes
  10. wax — to grow
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. rest — a break
  13. rest — what's left
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rock — music
  19. suit — in cards
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. trunk — of a car

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