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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. mug — to rob
  5. staff — a stick
  6. tube — a container
  7. staff — employees
  8. ground — the earth
  9. prune — to trim
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. mug — a cup
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. mug — a face
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bulb — for light
  17. ground — crushed
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. ground — a position
  22. tube — the underground
  23. staff — employees
  24. snap — to click

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