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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. object — to protest
  4. fork — in a road
  5. kick — in football
  6. hand — in cards
  7. club — for golf
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. object — a thing
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. club — for dancing
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. object — an aim
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. club — a group
  24. hand — help

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