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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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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: key · bark · rush · mouse · trunk · fall · board · object

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. fall — to drop
  4. rush — hurry
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. object — an aim
  7. fall — to drop
  8. key — for a lock
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. board — to get on
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. fall — the season
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — a committee
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. key — the most important part
  20. object — a thing
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. object — to protest
  23. key — in music
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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