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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. game — wild animals
  6. bear — the animal
  7. board — a committee
  8. fork — in a road
  9. board — to get on
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. game — a match
  12. perch — the fish
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bear — the animal
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — a grade
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. bulb — for light
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. bulb — for light

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