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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. saw — the tool
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bank — for money
  6. rest — a break
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bank — for money
  10. fork — in a road
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. wax — to grow
  23. lie — to recline
  24. lie — an untruth

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