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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: saw · sharp · bulb · can · spring · lash · fan · fork

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. sharp — clever
  3. can — a tin
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bulb — for light
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. spring — the season
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. saw — the tool
  12. can — a tin
  13. spring — of water
  14. saw — the tool
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bulb — for light
  17. fork — in a road
  18. can — to be able to
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. spring — a coil
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. bulb — of a plant

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