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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.

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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: mark · bark · spell · straw · wave · trunk · firm · chip

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. mark — a grade
  3. chip — to eat
  4. spell — a short time
  5. firm — a company
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. spell — letters
  8. chip — for betting
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. spell — magic
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. firm — steady
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. bark — to shout
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. firm — decided
  24. mark — to pay attention

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