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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
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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: date · trunk · cabinet · cap · land · leaves · fork · court

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. court — for sport
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. land — a country
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. date — the fruit
  7. fork — in a road
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. court — of a king
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cap — of ice
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. court — of law
  22. land — to come down
  23. land — ground
  24. cap — a hat

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