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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. bear — the animal
  7. fork — in a road
  8. last — finally
  9. race — humankind
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. race — the arms race
  13. kick — in football
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. last — to go on
  18. last — final
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. bear — the animal
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. race — a contest
  24. foot — a measure

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