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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. firm — steady
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. present — there
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. fork — in a road
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. present — the time now
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. firm — a company
  12. bulb — for light
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. bulb — for light
  15. kick — in football
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. bark — to shout
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. present — a gift
  22. firm — decided
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. trunk — of a car

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