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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: nail · mouse · bulb · net · fan · kick · coach · tube

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. net — in sport
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. kick — in football
  10. tube — the underground
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bulb — for light
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. net — for catching
  18. tube — a container
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. net — after costs
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bulb — for light
  24. coach — a trainer

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