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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'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. tube — the underground
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. tube — a container
  5. deal — to handle
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. ball — a dance
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. fork — in a road
  14. present — the time now
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. present — a gift
  21. ball — a great time
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. present — there

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