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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bulb — for light
  3. staff — employees
  4. rest — a break
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. rest — what's left
  13. staff — a stick
  14. rest — what's left
  15. staff — employees
  16. tube — a container
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. bulb — for light
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. bat — the animal
  22. tube — the underground
  23. date — the fruit
  24. pound — a weight

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