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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. cell — in biology
  4. race — the arms race
  5. tube — a container
  6. race — humankind
  7. cell — a phone
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bulb — for light
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. tube — the underground
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bulb — for light
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. race — a contest
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. racket — a loud noise

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