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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: content · tube · bass · ground · jam · plane · bulb · field

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. ground — the earth
  3. tube — a container
  4. content — the amount
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. content — happy
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. bulb — for light
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. plane — a tool
  14. field — a subject
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. field — for sport
  18. bass — low music
  19. ground — a position
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. bass — the fish
  22. field — farmland
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. ground — crushed

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