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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.

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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. charge — a price
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. saw — the tool
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. charge — electricity
  11. saw — the tool
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. fork — in a road
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. stem — to come from
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — a break
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. charge — in control
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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