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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
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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: bulb · bowl · tube · rash · file · firm · fork · lean

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. lean — to bend
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. firm — a company
  5. file — a tool
  6. bulb — for light
  7. tube — a container
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. rash — a series
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. file — a document
  15. firm — steady
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. bulb — for light
  20. rash — hasty
  21. firm — decided
  22. lean — thin
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. file — a line of people

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