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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: tube · bulb · perch · fork · fine · vault · field · mug

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. tube — the underground
  3. perch — the fish
  4. tube — a container
  5. field — for sport
  6. vault — a safe
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mug — a cup
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. bulb — for light
  13. fine — all right
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. field — a subject
  23. mug — a face
  24. bulb — for light

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