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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.

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 · trunk · rush · bowl · club · stem · plane · mug

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. mug — a cup
  3. fork — in a road
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. plane — a tool
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. club — for golf
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. club — for dancing
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. rush — hurry
  15. mug — a face
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. club — a group
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. stem — to come from
  21. mug — to rob
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. plane — in geometry

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