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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mouse · tear · pitch · band · patient · tube · bark · bulb

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. tube — a container
  3. pitch — completely
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. tube — the underground
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bulb — for light
  9. tear — to rip
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. band — a ring
  12. tear — from crying
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. tear — from crying
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bulb — for light
  20. band — a music group
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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