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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: cell · bulb · rule · current · stand · tube · object · bore

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. object — to protest
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. object — an aim
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rule — a law
  7. bore — to drill
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. rule — government
  10. object — a thing
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. current — of water
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bore — to tire
  16. current — happening now
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. tube — a container
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. current — electric
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cell — in biology
  23. cell — a phone
  24. bulb — for light

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