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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. bulb — for light
  3. fork — in a road
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. bulb — for light
  9. current — electric
  10. pop — music
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. current — of water
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. current — happening now
  21. pop — soda
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. rush — hurry
  24. pop — to visit

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