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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 · dip · fork · firm · arm · pit · root · craft

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. root — of a plant
  5. firm — a company
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. craft — a skill
  9. root — the cause
  10. pit — in a race
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bulb — for light
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. fork — in a road
  15. pit — a hole
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. firm — decided
  18. root — of a word
  19. craft — boats
  20. firm — steady
  21. bulb — for light
  22. dip — to sink
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. bulb — of a plant

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