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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. ground — the earth
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. drill — army training
  9. drill — the tool
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bulb — for light
  14. ground — crushed
  15. spell — magic
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. spell — letters
  18. ground — a position
  19. wax — to grow
  20. kick — in football
  21. drill — a practice
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. kick — with a leg

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