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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 116 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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. craft — boats
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. season — of the year
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bulb — for light
  9. track — a song
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. lean — to bend
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. lean — thin
  14. season — in sport
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. track — to keep track
  17. craft — a skill
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. track — a path
  24. fork — in a road

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