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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 116 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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. chip — to eat
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. sharp — clever
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. chip — for betting
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. rush — to hurry

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