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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 116 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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. perch — the fish
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. fork — in a road
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. rule — government
  17. bulb — for light
  18. saw — the tool
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. pit — in a race
  22. rule — a law
  23. saw — the tool
  24. pit — a hole

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