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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: fan · net · rock · kick · fork · bore · swing · bulb

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. swing — in golf
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. swing — music
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. net — after costs
  9. rock — music
  10. net — for catching
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bore — to tire
  17. net — in sport
  18. kick — in football
  19. fork — in a road
  20. swing — to play on
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. rock — a stone

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