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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 120 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. can — to be able to
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. net — in sport
  6. stand — to bear
  7. rash — a series
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. deal — to handle
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. net — after costs
  13. can — a tin
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. rash — hasty
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. mate — a friend
  19. net — for catching
  20. can — a tin
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mate — to breed
  24. rash — on the skin

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