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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. can — a tin
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. squash — to crush
  6. squash — the sport
  7. bore — to tire
  8. can — to be able to
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — for light
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bass — low music
  15. can — a tin
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. bore — to drill
  19. tube — a container
  20. firm — steady
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. tube — the underground
  23. firm — a company
  24. bore — gave birth

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