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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: snap · fork · firm · trunk · season · deal · bear · pit

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. pit — a hole
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. season — of the year
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. firm — decided
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. firm — steady
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. deal — to handle
  16. season — in sport
  17. pit — in a race
  18. bear — the animal
  19. snap — to click
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. bear — the animal
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. firm — a company
  24. deal — a big deal

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