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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: tube · bulb · leaves · fine · mouse · ball · date · hand

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. tube — the underground
  7. date — the fruit
  8. hand — help
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. bulb — for light
  13. ball — a great time
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. fine — all right
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. fine — high quality
  18. hand — in cards
  19. tube — a container
  20. ball — a dance
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bulb — for light

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