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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bulb — for light
  6. vault — a safe
  7. tear — from crying
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. tear — to rip
  10. wake — a trail
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. rush — hurry
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. tube — a container
  17. tear — from crying
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. tube — the underground
  21. suit — clothes
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. rock — music
  24. bulb — for light

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