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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bulb — for light
  4. plane — a tool
  5. current — electric
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. tube — the underground
  8. current — happening now
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. tube — a container
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bulb — for light
  13. saw — the tool
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. saw — the tool
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. current — of water

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