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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. chest — a box
  4. bulb — for light
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a great time
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. tube — a container
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. hand — help
  13. chest — of your body
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bulb — for light
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bear — the animal
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bear — the animal
  20. chest — of your body
  21. hand — in cards
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. ball — a dance
  24. rush — to hurry

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