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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. ball — a dance
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. bulb — for light
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bulb — for light
  8. tube — a container
  9. pit — a hole
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. press — to push
  12. ball — a great time
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. cap — of ice
  16. vault — a safe
  17. pit — in a race
  18. press — newspapers
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. tube — the underground
  21. cap — a lid
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. press — a publisher

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