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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. tube — the underground
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. race — a contest
  11. firm — a company
  12. race — the arms race
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pitch — completely
  17. tube — a container
  18. game — wild animals
  19. race — humankind
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. game — a match
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. firm — steady
  24. patient — a sick person

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