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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.

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: swing · leaves · fork · game · bay · bass · trunk · saw

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. fork — in a road
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. game — wild animals
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bass — the fish
  14. swing — to play on
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. saw — the tool
  18. swing — in golf
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. swing — music
  22. bass — low music
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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