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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. bank — for money
  3. bulb — for light
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bulb — for light
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bank — for money
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — clothes
  12. key — in music
  13. fork — in a road
  14. land — ground
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. land — a country
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. suit — to fit
  19. saw — the tool
  20. key — for a lock
  21. saw — the tool
  22. land — to come down
  23. bank — of a river
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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