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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 · rush · fork · track · cabinet · ball · coach · tube

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. ball — a great time
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bulb — for light
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. track — a path
  10. bulb — for light
  11. tube — a container
  12. track — to keep track
  13. track — a song
  14. fork — in a road
  15. tube — the underground
  16. ball — a dance
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. rush — hurry
  24. cabinet — ministers

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