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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 124 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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. bound — certain
  9. plane — a tool
  10. roll — a cake
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. fork — in a road
  14. bound — obliged
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. stand — to bear
  22. roll — a list
  23. bound — tied together
  24. jam — in traffic

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