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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: trunk · land · drill · lie · toast · bark · cabinet · file

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  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. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. file — a line of people
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — the tool
  6. file — a document
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. toast — bread
  9. bark — to shout
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. file — a tool
  19. land — to come down
  20. lie — to recline
  21. land — a country
  22. land — ground
  23. drill — army training
  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