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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: tube · swing · bulb · craft · leaves · cue · fall · bass

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bulb — for light
  4. cue — a hint
  5. tube — a container
  6. craft — boats
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. cue — for pool
  9. swing — in golf
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. swing — to play on
  12. craft — a skill
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. fall — to drop
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. bass — low music
  17. bass — the fish
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — the season
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cue — a signal
  23. tube — the underground
  24. swing — 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