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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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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  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. fork — to eat with
  2. land — a country
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. land — ground
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bass — the fish
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. squash — the sport
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. land — to come down
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. bass — low music
  23. squash — to crush
  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