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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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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: trunk · season · fork · firm · cap · bank · deal · tube

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. cap — a hat
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. firm — steady
  13. bank — for money
  14. season — of the year
  15. bank — for money
  16. cap — a lid
  17. firm — decided
  18. tube — a container
  19. bank — of a river
  20. fork — in a road
  21. firm — a company
  22. deal — to handle
  23. season — in sport
  24. cap — of ice

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