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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. rest — a break
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. rest — what's left
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bulb — for light
  15. tube — the underground
  16. branch — a division
  17. tube — a container
  18. rest — what's left
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. kick — in football
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. tube — in a tire

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