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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. face — part of the head
  4. drill — the tool
  5. staff — employees
  6. race — the arms race
  7. staff — employees
  8. bulb — for light
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. face — to point toward
  12. fork — in a road
  13. staff — a stick
  14. drill — a practice
  15. race — humankind
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. face — to confront
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. tube — the underground
  22. drill — army training
  23. race — a contest
  24. bulb — for light

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