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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bulb — for light
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. tube — the underground
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. tube — a container
  12. suit — in cards
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bulb — for light
  15. sharp — clever
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. suit — to fit
  18. mouse — the animal

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