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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: rule · rock · mark · leaves · bear · toast · trunk · bark

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. rule — a law
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. rock — a stone
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mark — a grade
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — government
  17. toast — bread
  18. rock — music
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. bark — to shout

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