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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. fork — in a road
  3. face — to confront
  4. bulb — for light
  5. tube — the underground
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. staff — employees
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. band — a ring
  13. staff — employees
  14. rock — music
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. tube — a container
  17. rock — a stone
  18. face — to point toward
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. bulb — for light
  21. face — part of the head
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. staff — a stick
  24. band — a music group

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