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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bulb — for light
  4. scale — in music
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. pass — a permit
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bulb — for light
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. scale — size or range
  19. bat — the animal
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. trunk — of a car

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