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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. row — a line
  3. current — of water
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bulb — for light
  6. row — to paddle
  7. stand — to bear
  8. sharp — clever
  9. current — happening now
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. current — electric
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pit — a hole
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. tube — the underground
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. pit — in a race
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. bulb — for light
  23. tube — a container
  24. row — a quarrel

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