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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 120 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: straw · last · pass · object · wake · bulb · tube · board

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. wake — a trail
  5. last — finally
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. board — to get on
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. object — an aim
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. tube — a container
  16. last — final
  17. object — a thing
  18. board — a committee
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. tube — the underground
  21. pass — a permit
  22. object — to protest
  23. last — to go on
  24. pass — to succeed

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