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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. spell — a short time
  3. fork — in a road
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. suit — clothes
  6. staff — a stick
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. band — a music group
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. suit — to fit
  13. spell — magic
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. suit — in cards
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. sharp — clever
  19. spell — letters
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. staff — employees
  24. band — a ring

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