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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 116 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: suit · track · fork · leaves · cap · mouse · spring · trunk

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. fork — in a road
  4. spring — of water
  5. spring — the season
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cap — a lid
  9. spring — a coil
  10. track — to keep track
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. suit — clothes
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. track — a song
  16. suit — in cards
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. suit — to fit
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. track — a path
  21. cap — of ice
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. fork — a garden tool

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