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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bulb — for light
  3. tube — the underground
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. press — newspapers
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. current — electric
  10. press — to push
  11. hand — in cards
  12. tube — a container
  13. current — of water
  14. bulb — for light
  15. object — a thing
  16. hand — help
  17. current — happening now
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. object — to protest
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. press — a publisher
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. object — an aim
  24. bat — the animal

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