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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: tube · nail · deal · pop · rest · bulb · wound · lie

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. deal — to handle
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. pop — soda
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. tube — the underground
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. pop — to visit
  11. rest — what's left
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pop — music
  18. wound — an injury
  19. rest — a break
  20. wound — an injury
  21. lie — to recline
  22. bulb — for light
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. tube — a container

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