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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. mug — to rob
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. mug — a cup
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. board — a committee
  9. board — to get on
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. sharp — clever
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cue — for pool
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. tube — a container
  17. mug — a face
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. tube — the underground
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bulb — for light
  24. sharp — exactly

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