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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. bulb — for light
  4. lie — to recline
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. fine — high quality
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bulb — for light
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. squash — to crush
  15. bass — low music
  16. squash — the sport
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. snap — to click
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bass — the fish

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