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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: fork · rash · hide · last · tube · bulb · fall · mark

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. fork — in a road
  3. mark — a trace
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — the season
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mark — a grade
  11. fall — to drop
  12. last — final
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — hasty
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — the underground
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. tube — a container
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. rash — a series
  24. last — to go on

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