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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 had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. fork — in a road
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. date — the fruit
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. fan — a supporter

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