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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: mouse · rule · bulb · foot · tube · plane · racket · current

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. plane — a tool
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — electric
  8. rule — a law
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — for light
  12. tube — a container
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. current — of water
  15. foot — a measure
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. rule — government
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. tube — the underground
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. foot — the bottom

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