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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. saw — the tool
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bulb — for light
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cap — a hat
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bulb — for light
  12. fork — in a road
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. cap — a lid
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. cap — of ice
  24. fork — a garden tool

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