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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 120 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: sharp · tube · rule · mouse · nail · fan · bulb · bay

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. rule — government
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. tube — the underground
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. tube — a container
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. rule — a law
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bulb — for light
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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