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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: fork · trunk · saw · bulb · bore · mate · bowl · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. bulb — for light
  10. fork — in a road
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. mate — a friend
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bore — to tire
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mate — to breed
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pit — a hole
  24. bowl — a football final

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