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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: wind · fork · pass · bulb · fall · wave · craft · net

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. wind — moving air
  4. bulb — for light
  5. net — after costs
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. pass — a permit
  8. net — in sport
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fall — the season
  12. wind — moving air
  13. net — for catching
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. fall — to drop
  18. craft — a skill
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. craft — boats
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. craft — a handicraft

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