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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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: last · fan · face · present · trunk · fork · squash · kick

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. face — to confront
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. present — the time now
  5. present — a gift
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. face — to point toward
  8. last — finally
  9. squash — to crush
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. last — to go on
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. face — part of the head
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. present — there
  17. kick — in football
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. squash — the sport
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. last — final
  24. trunk — of a tree

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