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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.

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: tube · bulb · stand · object · tear · track · cell · rush

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bulb — for light
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. cell — a phone
  6. tube — the underground
  7. track — a song
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. track — to keep track
  10. rush — hurry
  11. tube — a container
  12. tear — from crying
  13. object — to protest
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bulb — for light
  16. object — a thing
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. cell — in biology
  20. tear — to rip
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. tear — from crying
  23. track — a path
  24. rush — a thrill

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