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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: face · shower · object · bark · bulb · trunk · chip · rule

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. face — to confront
  4. object — a thing
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. rule — a law
  7. shower — to wash
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. face — part of the head
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. rule — government
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bark — to shout
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. shower — rain
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. object — to protest
  21. chip — for betting
  22. face — to point toward
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. bulb — for light

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