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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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. lie — to recline
  3. tube — the underground
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. snap — to click
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. band — a music group
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. bulb — for light
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. chip — to eat
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. chip — for betting
  16. mate — to breed
  17. tube — a container
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a dance
  21. band — a ring
  22. mate — a partner
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. mate — a friend

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