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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bulb — for light
  6. swing — to play on
  7. shower — rain
  8. bulb — for light
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. row — a line
  11. shower — to wash
  12. row — to paddle
  13. object — an aim
  14. object — a thing
  15. mate — a friend
  16. dip — to sink
  17. swing — music
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. object — to protest
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. mate — a partner
  23. tube — a container
  24. mate — to breed

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