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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. cap — a lid
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. tube — the underground
  6. tube — a container
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. cap — of ice
  9. fork — in a road
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. rush — hurry
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. bulb — for light
  15. craft — boats
  16. deal — to handle
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. craft — a skill
  20. cap — a hat
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. rush — a thrill

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