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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: pass · tear · bulb · object · tube · rest · nail · chip

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. tube — a container
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. object — a thing
  8. tube — the underground
  9. chip — for betting
  10. tear — to rip
  11. chip — to eat
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. tear — from crying
  16. rest — what's left
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. tear — from crying
  19. bulb — for light
  20. object — to protest
  21. object — an aim
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — a permit
  24. nail — on a finger

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