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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: bay · bear · bulb · coach · tube · deal · wound · bark

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bear — the animal
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — the underground
  21. wound — an injury
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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