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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: fork · deal · trunk · hide · suit · sharp · pitcher · bulb

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — clothes
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bulb — for light
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. fork — in a road
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bulb — for light
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. sharp — clever
  22. deal — to handle
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. pitcher — a jug

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