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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. bear — the animal
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — decided
  5. race — humankind
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. race — the arms race
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bear — the animal
  10. firm — steady
  11. pass — a permit
  12. fork — in a road
  13. race — a contest
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stand — to bear
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pass — to succeed

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