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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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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: stand · fork · wake · bear · date · roll · trunk · craft

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. bear — the animal
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. date — the fruit
  6. craft — a skill
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fork — in a road
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. craft — boats
  11. bear — the animal
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. roll — a cake
  15. roll — a list
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. wake — a trail
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. stand — to bear
  24. roll — on a roll

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