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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. chest — of your body
  3. tube — a container
  4. dip — to sink
  5. bulb — for light
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. tube — the underground
  11. cue — for pool
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. chest — of your body
  14. bulb — for light
  15. cue — a signal
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. rule — government
  18. cue — a hint
  19. can — a tin
  20. chest — a box
  21. rule — a law
  22. can — to be able to
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. can — a tin

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