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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 124 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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. track — a path
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rule — a law
  7. bulb — for light
  8. fork — in a road
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. chest — a box
  11. rule — government
  12. track — to keep track
  13. bulb — for light
  14. chest — of your body
  15. bass — the fish
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. bass — low music
  18. track — a song
  19. chest — of your body
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. foot — a measure
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. rule — to rule out

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