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

Word bank: bulb · jam · lash · ball · wind · foot · bore · fork

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. fork — in a road
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wind — moving air
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. foot — a measure
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. wind — moving air
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — to drill
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a great time
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. ball — a dance

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