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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: trunk · file · kick · charge · root · fork · bass · bay

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. charge — a price
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bass — low music
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. file — a document
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. charge — electricity
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. file — a tool
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. root — the cause
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. charge — in control
  18. kick — in football
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. root — of a word
  22. root — of a plant
  23. bass — the fish
  24. file — a line of people

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