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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — an aim
  8. mine — for digging
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. fork — in a road
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bulb — for light
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. object — to protest
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. stand — to bear
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. bark — to shout
  24. fork — to eat with

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