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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. bulb — for light
  3. fork — in a road
  4. plane — a tool
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bank — for money
  7. drill — army training
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bank — for money
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. bank — of a river
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. kid — child
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. drill — a practice
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. drill — the tool
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. kid — to tease
  23. bulb — for light
  24. hide — animal skin

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