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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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. race — a contest
  4. fork — in a road
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. race — the arms race
  7. root — of a word
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. root — of a plant
  12. perch — the fish
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. root — the cause
  16. race — humankind
  17. bulb — for light
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. kick — in football
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — for a bird

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