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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. charge — electricity
  4. land — to come down
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. mug — to rob
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. pit — a hole
  12. mug — a face
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — in control
  15. pit — in a race
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. land — a country
  18. mug — a cup
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — for light
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. land — ground
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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