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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. court — of a king
  3. file — a document
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. bear — the animal
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. file — a line of people
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. suit — to fit
  13. court — for sport
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. court — of law
  17. file — a tool
  18. suit — clothes
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. suit — in cards
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. toast — bread
  24. bear — the animal

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