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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 120 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: stick · trunk · pass · fork · deal · bay · wave · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. fork — in a road
  12. deal — to handle
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pass — a permit
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bay — a horse colour

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