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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 116 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: shower · fork · game · firm · bulb · ball · track · lean

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. game — wild animals
  3. firm — decided
  4. shower — to wash
  5. shower — rain
  6. lean — thin
  7. track — a song
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. fork — in a road
  10. firm — a company
  11. bulb — for light
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. track — to keep track
  16. ball — a great time
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. firm — steady
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. bulb — for light
  22. track — a path
  23. ball — a dance
  24. lean — to bend

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