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

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. object — an aim
  3. object — a thing
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wind — moving air
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. lie — to recline
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bulb — for light
  15. wind — moving air
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. object — to protest
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — a permit
  24. lie — an untruth

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