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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bulb — for light
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. cue — a hint
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. file — a line of people
  9. cue — a signal
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. cue — for pool
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. file — a tool
  15. file — a document
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. tube — the underground
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bear — the animal
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pound — a weight

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