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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 · racket · bulb · bowl · stick · date · wave · pass

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. date — the fruit
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. bulb — for light
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. racket — for tennis

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