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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 120 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 · stick · pass · trunk · rash · bound · rest · bulb

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. rash — hasty
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. bound — obliged
  6. pass — a permit
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. rest — a break
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. rest — what's left
  11. fork — in a road
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bound — certain
  14. bound — tied together
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. rest — what's left
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. rash — a series

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