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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: racket · bound · net · tube · mouse · arm · rule · bulb

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bulb — for light
  5. tube — the underground
  6. rule — a law
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. tube — a container
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. net — after costs
  14. rule — government
  15. bound — obliged
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. bound — tied together
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. net — in sport
  22. bulb — for light
  23. net — for catching
  24. bulb — of a plant

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