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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. present — the time now
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. tube — a container
  5. saw — the tool
  6. tube — the underground
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pound — a weight
  10. deal — to handle
  11. present — there
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. rock — music
  21. bulb — for light
  22. rock — a stone
  23. saw — the tool
  24. present — a gift

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