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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: mug · spell · press · face · fork · trunk · hand · pass

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. mug — a cup
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. spell — magic
  6. face — part of the head
  7. hand — help
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. mug — a face
  10. fork — in a road
  11. spell — letters
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. mug — to rob
  14. face — to point toward
  15. spell — a short time
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. press — to push
  19. press — a publisher
  20. hand — in cards
  21. press — newspapers
  22. pass — a permit
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. face — to confront

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