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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.

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: chair · stick · spell · bulb · jam · object · plane · tube

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. spell — a short time
  3. tube — a container
  4. spell — magic
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. object — a thing
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. tube — the underground
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. plane — a tool
  14. chair — a leader
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. spell — letters
  18. bulb — for light
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. bulb — for light
  21. object — an aim
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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