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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. bulb — for light
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. last — final
  7. court — of a king
  8. bulb — for light
  9. kid — to tease
  10. court — of law
  11. tube — the underground
  12. last — finally
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — in cards
  15. kid — child
  16. last — to go on
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pit — a hole
  19. tube — a container
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. suit — clothes
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. court — for sport

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