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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. bulb — for light
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. deal — to handle
  8. lean — to bend
  9. squash — the sport
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. squash — to crush
  13. bulb — for light
  14. fork — in a road
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lean — thin
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. deal — a big deal

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