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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: track · club · stand · key · arm · date · trunk · fork

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. club — for dancing
  4. date — the fruit
  5. track — a song
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. club — for golf
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. key — in music
  10. key — the most important part
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. track — to keep track
  14. key — for a lock
  15. fork — in a road
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. track — a path
  18. club — a group
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — to bear
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. arm — part of the body

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