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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.

Make a worksheet

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: fork · staff · plane · straw · trunk · track · file · bass

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. file — a document
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. file — a line of people
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. plane — a tool
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — employees
  13. bass — the fish
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. staff — a stick
  16. track — a path
  17. fork — in a road
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. track — to keep track
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. track — a song
  22. bass — low music
  23. file — a tool
  24. trunk — of a car

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