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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: deal · jam · bear · stick · foot · bore · tube · bulb

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bulb — for light
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bulb — for light
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. bear — the animal
  15. foot — a measure
  16. tube — a container
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bear — the animal
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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