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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. land — to come down
  5. suit — clothes
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to bend
  10. suit — in cards
  11. land — ground
  12. bulb — for light
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. fork — in a road
  15. season — in sport
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bulb — for light
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. season — of the year
  24. land — a country

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