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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. squash — to crush
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. current — happening now
  6. firm — a company
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. hand — in cards
  9. tube — a container
  10. current — of water
  11. squash — the sport
  12. tube — the underground
  13. current — electric
  14. can — a tin
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. file — a line of people
  17. file — a tool
  18. bulb — for light
  19. firm — steady
  20. firm — decided
  21. bulb — for light
  22. file — a document
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. hand — help

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