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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: board · tube · bulb · content · squash · bass · pop · present

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. present — the time now
  3. board — a committee
  4. tube — a container
  5. bulb — for light
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. present — there
  8. present — a gift
  9. squash — to crush
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bass — low music
  12. content — the amount
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pop — soda
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bass — the fish
  18. pop — music
  19. content — happy
  20. tube — the underground
  21. board — to get on
  22. bulb — for light
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. board — a flat piece

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