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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 124 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. craft — a skill
  3. bulb — for light
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. fork — in a road
  7. tear — from crying
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. game — wild animals
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. kick — in football
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. tear — to rip
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. craft — boats
  23. bulb — for light
  24. tear — from crying

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