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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 116 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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. wax — to grow
  4. fork — in a road
  5. stock — goods
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. rest — what's left
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rest — what's left
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. saw — the tool
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. saw — the tool
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. staff — a stick
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. staff — employees
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. stock — shares
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. staff — employees
  24. rest — a break

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