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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. club — for golf
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. club — a group
  7. board — to get on
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. tube — the underground
  10. dip — to sink
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. board — a committee
  15. club — for dancing
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. tube — a container
  18. snap — to click
  19. track — a path
  20. track — a song
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. bulb — for light
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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