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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 116 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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. craft — boats
  3. bulb — for light
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — a committee
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bulb — for light
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. clip — a video
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. board — to get on
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. clip — to cut
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. craft — a skill
  18. clip — for paper
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. fork — in a road
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. nail — for a hammer

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