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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 116 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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. tube — a container
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. march — the month
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. march — music
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bulb — for light
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. spell — magic
  12. spell — a short time
  13. board — to get on
  14. race — the arms race
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. race — humankind
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. spell — letters
  19. board — a committee
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. tube — the underground
  22. march — the month
  23. race — a contest
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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