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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: mug · leaves · bark · track · fork · cue · trunk · ball

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. mug — a cup
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mug — a face
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. ball — a dance
  10. cue — a hint
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. cue — a signal
  15. track — a path
  16. track — to keep track
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. track — a song
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. cue — for pool
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. ball — a great time
  24. fork — in a road

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