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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: rest · roll · bulb · fork · cap · saw · vault · dip

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cap — a lid
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. cap — of ice
  7. cap — a hat
  8. dip — to sink
  9. rest — what's left
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. roll — a list
  12. bulb — for light
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. rest — what's left
  18. roll — a cake
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. rest — a break
  24. fork — in a road

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