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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: fork · bat · net · deal · cabinet · mark · ruler · bulb

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. bat — the animal
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. deal — to handle
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bulb — for light
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. fork — in a road
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. net — for catching
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. net — after costs
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. mark — a trace
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. net — in sport
  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