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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. craft — a skill
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. last — finally
  7. game — a match
  8. current — happening now
  9. last — to go on
  10. lean — thin
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. lean — to bend
  13. craft — boats
  14. fork — in a road
  15. current — of water
  16. game — wild animals
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. current — electric
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a hint
  21. last — final
  22. cue — a signal
  23. craft — a handicraft
  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