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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 · bear · key · drill · trunk · craft · pass · lash

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. craft — boats
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. key — in music
  6. bark — to shout
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bear — the animal
  11. drill — army training
  12. key — for a lock
  13. drill — a practice
  14. drill — the tool
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. bear — the animal
  21. pass — a permit
  22. key — the most important part
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. trunk — of a car

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