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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cue — for pool
  5. present — a gift
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. present — there
  8. tube — a container
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. tube — the underground
  12. present — the time now
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. wax — to grow
  16. bulb — for light
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. game — a match
  22. cue — a signal
  23. game — wild animals
  24. wax — in the ear

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