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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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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: present · wind · fork · fine · bulb · chest · racket · tube

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. fork — in a road
  3. chest — a box
  4. wind — moving air
  5. chest — of your body
  6. wind — moving air
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. bulb — for light
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. present — the time now
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. chest — of your body
  17. present — there
  18. tube — a container
  19. present — a gift
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. fine — all right
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. tube — the underground

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