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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 116 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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bulb — for light
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. tube — the underground
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. tube — a container
  11. drill — army training
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. mark — a trace
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. drill — a practice
  18. drill — the tool
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bulb — for light
  21. fork — in a road
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — to eat with

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