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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: fork · lash · mark · stem · pitch · bulb · cap · bowl

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bulb — for light
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cap — a lid
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. mark — a grade
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. stem — to come from
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. pitch — completely
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. cap — a hat
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bowl — a football final

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