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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 116 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bulb · bay · fan · fork · snap · mug

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. mug — to rob
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bulb — for light
  9. fork — in a road
  10. bulb — for light
  11. snap — to click
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. mug — a cup
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fan — a supporter

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