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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. bulb — for light
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. clip — a video
  8. board — a committee
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. suit — clothes
  11. clip — for paper
  12. suit — in cards
  13. rock — music
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. rock — a stone
  16. board — to get on
  17. clip — to cut
  18. deal — to handle
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. bulb — for light
  21. tube — the underground
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. tube — in a tire

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