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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bound — tied together
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bound — certain
  10. rock — music
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bear — the animal
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. fork — to eat with
  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