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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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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. row — to paddle
  12. fork — in a road
  13. row — a line
  14. bear — the animal
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. scale — size or range
  18. kick — in football
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bass — low music
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bear — the animal

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