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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pit — a hole
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. shower — to wash
  6. cap — a lid
  7. can — a tin
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. object — an aim
  10. cap — of ice
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. cap — a hat
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. can — to be able to
  15. shower — rain
  16. can — a tin
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. object — to protest
  20. fork — in a road
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. pit — in a race
  23. object — a thing
  24. arm — a part of something

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