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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. drill — a practice
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. fork — in a road
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. spell — magic
  7. shower — rain
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. pitch — completely
  10. bulb — for light
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. spell — letters
  16. shower — to wash
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bulb — for light
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. drill — the tool
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. drill — army training
  23. stand — to bear
  24. spell — a short time

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