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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: tube · leaves · jam · clip · stand · racket · bulb · fork

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. stand — to bear
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. clip — to cut
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. tube — the underground
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. bulb — for light
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. clip — for paper
  22. clip — a video
  23. tube — a container
  24. stand — for spectators

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