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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 · tube · bowl · staff · leaves · deal · wake · ground

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. ground — a position
  6. wake — a trail
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. staff — a stick
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — to handle
  14. ground — crushed
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — a container
  17. staff — employees
  18. fork — in a road
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. staff — employees
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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