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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 116 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: fork · bay · fine · land · charge · trunk · plane · cue

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. charge — in control
  6. cue — a signal
  7. land — ground
  8. charge — electricity
  9. plane — a tool
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. charge — a price
  12. land — a country
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. cue — for pool
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. cue — a hint
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. land — to come down
  23. fine — all right
  24. fork — in a road

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