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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. craft — boats
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. wax — to grow
  9. hand — in cards
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. craft — a skill
  12. hand — help
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. lean — thin
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. lean — to bend
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. craft — a handicraft

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