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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. field — for sport
  4. field — farmland
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. club — for dancing
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bulb — for light
  12. field — a subject
  13. bulb — for light
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fork — in a road
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. pit — a hole
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. club — for golf
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. club — a group
  24. saw — the tool

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