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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 120 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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. tube — the underground
  3. rest — what's left
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. tube — a container
  6. board — to get on
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. can — a tin
  9. pitch — completely
  10. bulb — for light
  11. capital — a city
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. can — to be able to
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. capital — money
  20. rest — a break
  21. can — a tin
  22. dip — to sink
  23. bulb — for light
  24. capital — a big letter

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