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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 124 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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bank — for money
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — a trace
  11. drill — army training
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rash — hasty
  14. drill — a practice
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bulb — for light
  21. rash — a series
  22. drill — the tool
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. mark — to pay attention

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