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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: ruler · fork · fine · trunk · deal · content · chest · staff

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — employees
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fork — in a road
  10. content — the amount
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — all right
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. chest — of your body
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. deal — to handle
  19. chest — of your body
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. chest — a box
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. content — happy
  24. ruler — a monarch

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