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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. face — part of the head
  6. pound — a weight
  7. face — to point toward
  8. game — a match
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. bank — of a river
  11. face — to confront
  12. bank — for money
  13. tube — a container
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. bulb — for light
  16. fork — in a road
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. tube — the underground
  21. game — wild animals
  22. bank — for money
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bear — the animal

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