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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. court — for sport
  4. chip — for betting
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. court — of a king
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. can — a tin
  11. bulb — for light
  12. chip — to eat
  13. present — a gift
  14. tube — a container
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. can — a tin
  17. present — there
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. present — the time now
  21. court — of law
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bulb — for light
  24. can — to be able to

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