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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: content · file · bulb · rock · stick · lash · tube · court

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. rock — music
  4. content — the amount
  5. court — for sport
  6. rock — a stone
  7. court — of a king
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. content — happy
  12. bulb — for light
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. file — a document
  17. tube — a container
  18. court — of law
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. file — a tool
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. bulb — for light
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. tube — the underground

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