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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: trunk · capital · bear · fork · present · saw · fine · bay

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. present — there
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fine — high quality
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. capital — a city
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. capital — money
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. present — a gift
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. fork — in a road
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. fine — all right
  22. present — the time now
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — the animal

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