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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: bark · rock · bulb · wave · rest · trunk · object · fork

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  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. wave — a sudden rise
  2. object — an aim
  3. object — to protest
  4. bark — to shout
  5. rest — a break
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bulb — for light
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. fork — in a road
  14. object — a thing
  15. bulb — for light
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. rock — music
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. trunk — of a car
  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