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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 120 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: lie · bulb · rush · mug · fork · cabinet · court · foot

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rush — hurry
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. court — of a king
  8. lie — to recline
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. court — of law
  14. court — for sport
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bulb — for light
  19. fork — in a road
  20. foot — a measure
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mug — a face
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. bulb — for light

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