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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. tube — the underground
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. ball — a great time
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. board — to get on
  9. firm — decided
  10. firm — a company
  11. bank — for money
  12. ball — a dance
  13. firm — steady
  14. file — a document
  15. bank — for money
  16. bulb — for light
  17. board — a committee
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. file — a tool
  21. bulb — for light
  22. file — a line of people
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. board — a flat piece

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