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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bass · tear · suit · trunk · game · face · fork · object

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. face — part of the head
  4. tear — from crying
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. object — an aim
  7. tear — from crying
  8. tear — to rip
  9. face — to confront
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. suit — to fit
  13. game — wild animals
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — low music
  16. face — to point toward
  17. object — to protest
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. suit — clothes
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. suit — in cards
  22. game — a match
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. object — a thing

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