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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. file — a document
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. file — a line of people
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bear — the animal
  8. date — the fruit
  9. cue — a hint
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bass — low music
  13. ball — a great time
  14. cue — for pool
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bear — the animal
  20. cue — a signal
  21. file — a tool
  22. bass — the fish
  23. ball — a dance
  24. date — on the calendar

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