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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 124 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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. shower — to wash
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. tube — a container
  7. rush — hurry
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. bound — certain
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pit — in a race
  16. shower — rain
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bound — tied together
  19. wax — to grow
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bound — obliged
  22. tube — the underground
  23. pit — a hole
  24. wax — for sculpting

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