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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: wave · root · nail · tube · prune · kid · bulb · leaves

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bulb — for light
  7. kid — to tease
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. tube — the underground
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. root — the cause
  15. root — of a word
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. root — of a plant
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. bulb — for light
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. prune — to trim
  23. kid — child
  24. leaves — to go away

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