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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. bulb — for light
  3. tube — a container
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — music
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. pop — soda
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. bass — low music
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. pitch — completely
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bulb — for light
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. deal — to handle
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. snap — to click
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. deal — an agreement

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