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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. deal — to handle
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bulb — for light
  7. cold — not warm
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — all right
  11. board — a committee
  12. stand — to bear
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. tube — the underground
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. tube — a container
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. cold — an illness
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. board — to get on
  24. mouse — the animal

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