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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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. tube — the underground
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. firm — steady
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. tube — a container
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. rush — hurry
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bulb — for light
  17. firm — decided
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. firm — a company
  20. bore — to drill
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. bore — to tire

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