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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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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 · board · rush · rule · craft · bulb · leaves · pitcher

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. craft — boats
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. bulb — for light
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. bulb — for light
  9. board — to get on
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. craft — a skill
  13. rule — a law
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. rule — government
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rush — hurry
  21. fork — in a road
  22. board — a committee
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. craft — a handicraft

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