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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wind · cabinet · present · pass · fork · file · trunk · mate

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. fork — in a road
  3. wind — moving air
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. present — the time now
  6. mate — a friend
  7. present — there
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. present — a gift
  11. mate — to breed
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. file — a line of people
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. file — a document
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pass — a permit
  18. mate — a partner
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. file — a tool
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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