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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. saw — the tool
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. bulb — for light
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. root — of a word
  9. saw — the tool
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a plant
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. stand — to bear
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — the underground
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. straw — a straw man

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