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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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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 · mouse · bulb · suit · bowl · shower · wind · track

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bulb — for light
  4. suit — to fit
  5. shower — rain
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. shower — to wash
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. track — a path
  11. track — a song
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wind — moving air
  14. fork — in a road
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. track — to keep track
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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