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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. sharp — clever
  5. bulb — for light
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. track — a path
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. track — a song
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a trace
  21. fork — in a road
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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