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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. drill — army training
  5. mug — a face
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. can — to be able to
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mug — a cup
  11. wax — to grow
  12. clip — to cut
  13. spell — a short time
  14. can — a tin
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. drill — a practice
  17. can — a tin
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. drill — the tool
  20. spell — magic
  21. spell — letters
  22. clip — a video
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. clip — for paper

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