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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: nail · bulb · tube · field · chip · stand

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. bulb — for light
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. chip — for betting
  6. tube — the underground
  7. field — a subject
  8. field — for sport
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. field — farmland
  14. chip — to eat
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. tube — a container
  17. bulb — for light
  18. stand — to bear

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