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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. fork — in a road
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. bulb — for light
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — to fit
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. date — the fruit
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. wind — moving air
  14. cell — a phone
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wind — moving air
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. suit — clothes
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. cell — in biology

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