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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. bulb — for light
  3. tube — a container
  4. tube — the underground
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. object — a thing
  7. charge — in control
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. press — a publisher
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. row — to paddle
  16. press — newspapers
  17. row — a line
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. object — an aim
  20. charge — a price
  21. object — to protest
  22. press — to push
  23. deal — to handle
  24. charge — electricity

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