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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 116 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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. object — a thing
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — the underground
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. swing — to play on
  8. branch — a division
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — for light
  12. object — an aim
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. deal — to handle
  15. band — a music group
  16. pit — in a race
  17. swing — in golf
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. pit — a hole
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. object — to protest
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. band — a ring

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