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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 116 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: coach · craft · current · tube · pop · bulb · court · chair

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pop — soda
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. craft — a skill
  7. current — electric
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. chair — a leader
  10. pop — music
  11. current — of water
  12. current — happening now
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bulb — for light
  15. court — for sport
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. court — of law
  18. court — of a king
  19. tube — the underground
  20. pop — to visit
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. craft — boats
  24. tube — a container

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