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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: nail · bear · wound · cue · fork · bulb · bay · stem

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. bulb — for light
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. cue — a signal
  14. wound — an injury
  15. cue — a hint
  16. bear — the animal
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. cue — for pool
  20. stem — to come from
  21. fork — in a road
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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