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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: can · fork · trunk · kid · spell · jam · hide · plane

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. spell — magic
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. can — a tin
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. spell — letters
  14. kid — child
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. can — to be able to
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. fork — in a road
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. spell — a short time
  21. kid — to tease
  22. can — a tin
  23. plane — a tool
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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