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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 120 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: saw · trunk · staff · cue · lie · bark · snap · bore

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. snap — to click
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — a stick
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. saw — the tool
  8. staff — employees
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. bore — to tire
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bore — to drill
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bark — to shout
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. cue — a hint
  19. lie — to recline
  20. saw — the tool
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. cue — for pool
  24. lie — an untruth

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