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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. fine — high quality
  3. tube — the underground
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. mate — to breed
  6. stem — to come from
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. can — to be able to
  9. game — wild animals
  10. can — a tin
  11. game — a match
  12. mate — a partner
  13. can — a tin
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bulb — for light
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. fine — all right
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. tube — a container
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. fine — a penalty

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