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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 · firm · bulb · plane · saw · rock · pound · fall

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. bulb — for light
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fall — to drop
  7. pound — a weight
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bulb — for light
  11. firm — a company
  12. fall — the season
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. firm — decided
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. saw — the tool
  20. firm — steady
  21. rock — music
  22. saw — the tool
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. pound — for dogs

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