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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: fork · leaves · mouse · rule · tear · bear · board · trunk

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. board — to get on
  4. tear — to rip
  5. rule — government
  6. fork — in a road
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. tear — from crying
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. tear — from crying
  14. bear — the animal
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rule — a law
  21. bear — the animal
  22. board — a committee
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. leaves — lets stay

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