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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. band — a music group
  11. season — of the year
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. perch — the fish
  14. tube — the underground
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. tube — a container
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. band — a ring
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. band — a rubber band

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