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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. suit — clothes
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. bank — of a river
  6. rock — music
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bank — for money
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. suit — to fit
  11. kick — in football
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bulb — for light
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. bulb — for light
  19. fork — in a road
  20. bank — for money
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. suit — in cards
  23. rock — a stone
  24. fork — a garden tool

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