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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. fork — in a road
  3. staff — employees
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. bulb — for light
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bore — to tire
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. bore — to drill
  12. staff — a stick
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. content — happy
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bulb — for light
  19. staff — employees
  20. stem — to come from
  21. craft — boats
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. fork — to eat with

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