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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.

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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: bulb · rest · mate · leaves · fine · sharp · lean · tube

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  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. rest — a break
  2. tube — a container
  3. rest — what's left
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. bulb — for light
  6. lean — thin
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. sharp — clever
  9. bulb — for light
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. lean — to bend
  12. tube — the underground
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. mate — to breed
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. mate — a partner
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. mate — a friend
  23. rest — what's left
  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