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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 116 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: degree · lean · fork · board · craft · wound · club · bulb

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. craft — a skill
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. fork — in a road
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. board — to get on
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. degree — an amount
  12. degree — from a university
  13. club — for golf
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. lean — thin
  16. craft — boats
  17. degree — temperature
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. club — for dancing
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. board — a committee
  22. wound — an injury
  23. lean — to bend
  24. club — a group

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