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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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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: pit · bulb · jam · ball · lean · lie · rule · fork

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bulb — for light
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. pit — a hole
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. bulb — for light
  14. lean — thin
  15. ball — a great time
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. pit — in a race
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. rule — a law
  22. lie — to recline
  23. rule — government
  24. fork — in a road

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