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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: mouse · content · pop · straw · bulb · coach · racket · tube

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pop — to visit
  3. content — the amount
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. tube — the underground
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. tube — a container
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. bulb — for light
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. content — happy
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — music

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