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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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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 · bark · mark · content · rock · stick · kid · vault

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  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. trunk — of a car
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. rock — music
  6. mark — a trace
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. kid — child
  10. content — happy
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. bark — to shout
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. vault — a safe
  17. content — the amount
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. mark — a grade
  23. kid — to tease
  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