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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. board — to get on
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. net — after costs
  8. net — in sport
  9. bulb — for light
  10. tube — a container
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. bulb — for light
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. drill — a practice
  15. dip — to sink
  16. drill — the tool
  17. pitch — completely
  18. tube — the underground
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. net — for catching
  21. drill — army training
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. board — a committee
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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