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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bulb — for light
  5. current — electric
  6. file — a line of people
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. file — a tool
  10. bat — the animal
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. current — of water
  16. file — a document
  17. bulb — for light
  18. present — there
  19. current — happening now
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — a gift
  24. mouse — 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