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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 116 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
468
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: ball · leaves · bay · board · race · trunk · bark · plane

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. race — the arms race
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. board — to get on
  15. race — a contest
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. board — a committee
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. plane — a tool
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. race — humankind
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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