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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 116 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: bay · scale · tube · wake · kick · spell · season · bulb

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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. kick — with a leg
  4. spell — magic
  5. scale — in music
  6. tube — the underground
  7. tube — a container
  8. season — in sport
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. scale — size or range
  11. bulb — for light
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. kick — in football
  16. spell — letters
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. wake — a trail
  20. season — of the year
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. spell — a short time
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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