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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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. season — in sport
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. date — the fruit
  9. season — of the year
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bank — for money
  19. fork — in a road
  20. bank — for money
  21. lean — thin
  22. rush — hurry
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. lean — to bend

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