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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. craft — boats
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. craft — a skill
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. fork — in a road
  18. bulb — for light

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