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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: present · mark · lash · trunk · mate · kid · fork · can

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. mate — a friend
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. can — to be able to
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. present — a gift
  7. kid — to tease
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mate — a partner
  14. present — the time now
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. present — there
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fork — in a road
  23. kid — child
  24. mate — to breed

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