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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: bulb · rule · chip · tube · bear · object · saw · pitch

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. bear — the animal
  3. tube — a container
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bear — the animal
  8. chip — for betting
  9. object — a thing
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. saw — the tool
  16. object — an aim
  17. tube — the underground
  18. saw — the tool
  19. rule — a law
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. chip — to eat
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. rule — government
  24. bulb — of a plant

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