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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. roll — a cake
  3. press — to push
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. press — newspapers
  7. roll — a list
  8. row — a line
  9. fork — in a road
  10. saw — the tool
  11. stock — shares
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. cue — a signal
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cue — for pool
  18. press — a publisher
  19. saw — the tool
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. row — to paddle
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. stock — goods

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