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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  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. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bass — low music
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. saw — the tool
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. craft — boats
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. bass — the fish
  11. fork — in a road
  12. craft — a skill
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. pitch — completely
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. trunk — of a tree
  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