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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: rush · fork · stock · trunk · leaves · bulb · ground · suit

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — to fit
  5. fork — in a road
  6. ground — crushed
  7. bulb — for light
  8. ground — a position
  9. stock — shares
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. suit — in cards
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. ground — the earth
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. rush — hurry
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. stock — goods

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