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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. degree — from a university
  3. rock — a stone
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. charge — a price
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. rock — music
  9. cue — a signal
  10. charge — in control
  11. pit — a hole
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. bulb — for light
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. degree — an amount
  16. degree — temperature
  17. cue — for pool
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. fork — in a road
  22. pit — in a race
  23. charge — electricity
  24. cue — a hint

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