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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. game — wild animals
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. game — a match
  7. tube — a container
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. present — there
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. present — a gift
  23. bulb — for light
  24. present — the time now

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