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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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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 · bulb · dip · trunk · leaves · saw · current · mark

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. mark — a trace
  5. current — electric
  6. bulb — for light
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. saw — the tool
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bulb — for light
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. fork — in a road
  17. mark — a grade
  18. dip — to sink
  19. current — happening now
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. current — of water
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. mark — to pay attention

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