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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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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. rock — music
  3. clip — to cut
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. tube — the underground
  8. clip — a video
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. bulb — for light
  13. stand — to bear
  14. rock — a stone
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. dip — to sink
  19. tube — a container
  20. bulb — for light
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. dip — a sauce

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