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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. pit — a hole
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. lie — to recline
  15. fork — in a road
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. rest — a break
  24. rest — what's left

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