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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. cell — in biology
  4. object — an aim
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. rock — a stone
  7. present — there
  8. cell — a phone
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. tube — the underground
  12. object — a thing
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. rock — music
  15. present — a gift
  16. face — part of the head
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. face — to confront
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. present — the time now
  22. object — to protest
  23. bulb — for light
  24. face — to point toward

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