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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
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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: tube · bulb · pitcher · ball · bear · trunk · pop · fine

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. pop — soda
  4. fine — high quality
  5. pop — music
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. bulb — for light
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. ball — a great time
  16. tube — a container
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. fine — all right
  19. ball — a dance
  20. tube — the underground
  21. pop — to visit
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. pitcher — a jug

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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