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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. saw — the tool
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. toast — bread
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. bank — for money
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. bank — of a river
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. bank — for money

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