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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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. can — a tin
  4. tube — a container
  5. can — to be able to
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. bulb — for light
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. track — a song
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. track — a path
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. track — to keep track
  16. tube — the underground
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. snap — to click
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. can — a tin
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. toast — bread

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