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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 120 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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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: straw · bulb · firm · bowl · lie · staff · cold · fork

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. staff — employees
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. staff — a stick
  7. bulb — for light
  8. staff — employees
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. fork — in a road
  11. cold — not warm
  12. firm — steady
  13. cold — an illness
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. firm — decided
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. lie — to recline
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. firm — a company
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bowl — to roll

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