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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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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 · content · rock · wind · pit · fork · rash · racket

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. wind — moving air
  3. fork — in a road
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. pit — in a race
  6. rock — a stone
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. rock — music
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. wind — moving air
  11. rash — hasty
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pit — a hole
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bulb — for light
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. content — the amount
  24. content — happy

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