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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cell — a phone
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rash — a series
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. row — to paddle
  11. rash — hasty
  12. perch — the fish
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. row — a line
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. ball — a great time
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. ball — a dance
  22. cell — in biology
  23. bulb — for light
  24. perch — for a bird

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