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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. board — to get on
  3. bulb — for light
  4. hand — in cards
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. can — to be able to
  7. tube — the underground
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitch — completely
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. roll — a cake
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. tube — a container
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — a committee
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. roll — a list
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. wax — to grow
  20. can — a tin
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. can — a tin
  23. hand — help
  24. roll — on a roll

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