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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: jam · nail · tube · wound · bulb · hand · rash · mouse

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bulb — for light
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. wound — an injury
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. bulb — for light
  10. tube — a container
  11. tube — the underground
  12. hand — help
  13. rash — a series
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. rash — hasty
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. hand — in cards
  24. wound — an injury

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