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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: bulb · stick · trunk · bat · fork · staff · rush · pound

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. fork — in a road
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. staff — employees
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. staff — employees
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bulb — for light
  10. staff — a stick
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bat — the animal
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. pound — a weight
  24. bulb — of a plant

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