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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bulb — for light
  4. mate — a partner
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. can — to be able to
  10. lean — to bend
  11. branch — a division
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mate — a friend
  14. chip — for betting
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. sharp — clever
  17. lean — thin
  18. can — a tin
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. can — a tin
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. chip — to eat
  24. bulb — for light

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