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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. fork — in a road
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — a committee
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. prune — to trim
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. key — for a lock
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. key — in music
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. board — to get on
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. prune — to trim
  23. key — the most important part
  24. trunk — of a car

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