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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. bulb — for light
  3. tube — the underground
  4. land — ground
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. club — a group
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. land — to come down
  12. land — a country
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. club — for dancing
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — a container
  17. bulb — for light
  18. club — for golf
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. mouse — 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