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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bulb — for light
  4. scale — in music
  5. present — a gift
  6. rock — a stone
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. scale — size or range
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. bulb — for light
  17. tube — a container
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. tube — the underground
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. present — there
  22. rock — music
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. present — the time now

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