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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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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: craft · pound · trunk · pass · fork · foot · leaves · can

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. foot — a measure
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. pound — a weight
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. pass — a permit
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. craft — a skill
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. craft — boats
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. can — to be able to

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