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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 · trunk · fork · mine · pop · lie · pitch · scale

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. mine — for digging
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. pop — music
  7. scale — size or range
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pop — to visit
  10. scale — in music
  11. bulb — for light
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pop — soda
  20. pitch — completely
  21. lie — to recline
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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