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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 120 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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. band — a ring
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. staff — employees
  7. bulb — for light
  8. tube — a container
  9. content — the amount
  10. content — happy
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. rock — music
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. band — a music group
  15. staff — a stick
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — a stone
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. staff — employees
  23. tube — the underground
  24. bulb — for light

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