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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. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. last — to go on
  3. lean — to bend
  4. rule — government
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. tube — a container
  7. bulb — for light
  8. tube — the underground
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. last — final
  18. lean — thin
  19. craft — boats
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. last — finally
  24. rule — a law

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