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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — a price
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. lean — to bend
  9. file — a document
  10. pit — a hole
  11. fork — in a road
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. season — in sport
  14. file — a tool
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. pit — in a race
  21. charge — in control
  22. lean — thin
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. file — a line of people

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