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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. object — to protest
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pit — a hole
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. pit — in a race
  7. object — a thing
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. stand — to bear
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bulb — for light
  14. tube — a container
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. wound — an injury
  18. tube — the underground
  19. sharp — clever
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. wound — an injury

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