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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. bulb — for light
  3. shower — rain
  4. bulb — for light
  5. tube — a container
  6. track — a song
  7. rest — what's left
  8. fall — the season
  9. tube — the underground
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rest — what's left
  12. fall — to drop
  13. shower — to wash
  14. track — a path
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. rest — a break
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. present — the time now
  20. present — a gift
  21. fall — to drop
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. present — there

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