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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bound · ground · game · stick · fork · capital · trunk · craft

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. game — wild animals
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. capital — money
  10. fork — in a road
  11. game — a match
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. ground — a position
  14. ground — the earth
  15. capital — a city
  16. bound — certain
  17. ground — crushed
  18. craft — boats
  19. bound — obliged
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. bound — tied together
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. fork — to eat with

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