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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 · cap · spring · tube · fork · pit · foot · ruler

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. spring — the season
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. tube — the underground
  10. spring — a coil
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. cap — of ice
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. bulb — for light
  15. foot — a measure
  16. tube — a container
  17. pit — a hole
  18. spring — of water
  19. fork — in a road
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cap — a lid
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. cap — a hat

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