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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: stick · saw · bulb · root · craft · fine · trunk · fork

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. fork — in a road
  5. craft — boats
  6. root — the cause
  7. root — of a word
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fine — high quality
  11. bulb — for light
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. bulb — for light
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. craft — a skill
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. root — of a plant
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. fine — all right
  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