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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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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: toast · safe · fork · jam · lean · lie · trunk · pass

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. fork — in a road
  5. lie — to recline
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. toast — bread
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. pass — a permit
  21. lean — thin
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lean — to rest against
  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