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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 116 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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bulb — for light
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. scale — size or range
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. tube — the underground
  10. scale — in music
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — music
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. tube — a container
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. rock — a stone
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bulb — for light
  22. snap — to click
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. lie — an untruth

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