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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: row · fork · trunk · net · file · lean · key · dip

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. net — in sport
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. file — a line of people
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. net — after costs
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. file — a document
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. dip — to sink
  12. lean — thin
  13. key — in music
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. file — a tool
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — the most important part
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. fork — in a road
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. lean — to bend
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. row — a line
  24. row — to paddle

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