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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. fall — the season
  3. club — for dancing
  4. club — for golf
  5. vault — a safe
  6. cue — a signal
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. bulb — for light
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. bulb — for light
  11. sharp — clever
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. fall — to drop
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. cue — for pool
  20. club — a group
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. fall — to drop
  23. cue — a hint
  24. fork — in a road

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