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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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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: deal · chest · jam · stick · lean · trunk · fork · toast

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. deal — to handle
  6. chest — of your body
  7. lean — to bend
  8. lean — thin
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. chest — of your body
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. toast — bread

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