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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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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: fork · bulb · suit · sharp · race · staff · mine · bear

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. bear — the animal
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — a stick
  6. staff — employees
  7. suit — in cards
  8. mine — for digging
  9. fork — in a road
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. sharp — clever
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — to fit
  14. race — a contest
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bear — the animal
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. race — the arms race
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. race — humankind

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