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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. bulb — for light
  4. fork — in a road
  5. mark — a trace
  6. bore — to drill
  7. mark — a grade
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a dance
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bore — to tire
  16. degree — from a university
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. degree — temperature
  19. bulb — for light
  20. degree — an amount
  21. ball — a great time
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. branch — a division
  24. sharp — with an edge

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