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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bulb — for light
  3. tube — the underground
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. root — of a word
  8. bulb — for light
  9. root — of a plant
  10. band — a ring
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. tube — a container
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. pit — a hole
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. root — the cause
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. band — a music group
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. nail — for a hammer

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