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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: pit · tube · lean · fine · kick · suit · bulb · content

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  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. bulb — for light
  2. suit — to fit
  3. lean — to bend
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. suit — in cards
  6. tube — a container
  7. fine — high quality
  8. pit — a hole
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. lean — thin
  12. fine — all right
  13. content — happy
  14. suit — clothes
  15. content — the amount
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. bulb — for light
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. pit — in a race
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. tube — the underground
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. kick — in football
  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