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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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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 · vault · lash · safe · pit · fork · shower · fall

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. fork — in a road
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. fall — the season
  9. vault — a safe
  10. shower — to wash
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. pit — a hole
  13. fall — to drop
  14. pit — in a race
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bulb — for light
  21. shower — rain
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. lash — an eyelash

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