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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: cell · rock · patient · land · suit · bark · trunk · rush

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. land — ground
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. suit — to fit
  6. land — a country
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. suit — clothes
  10. cell — in biology
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. bark — to shout
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. rock — a stone
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. cell — a phone
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rock — music
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. rush — hurry
  23. land — to come down
  24. trunk — of a tree

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