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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.

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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. bulb — for light
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. cue — for pool
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. fork — in a road
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. cue — a hint
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bulb — for light
  20. cue — a signal
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fork — a garden tool

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