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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. fine — all right
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. object — an aim
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fine — high quality
  9. fork — in a road
  10. object — a thing
  11. game — a match
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. game — wild animals
  15. object — to protest
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. bore — to tire
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. pass — a permit
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bore — to drill

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