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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. stand — to bear
  3. ground — crushed
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. land — to come down
  6. land — ground
  7. mate — to breed
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. ground — a position
  12. mate — a partner
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. mate — a friend
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. ground — the earth
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. land — a country
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. trunk — of a tree

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