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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.

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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: content · snap · bulb · firm · tube · pitch · stem · lean

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. pitch — completely
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. snap — to click
  8. firm — steady
  9. bulb — for light
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. content — happy
  12. firm — decided
  13. lean — to bend
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. content — the amount
  17. firm — a company
  18. tube — a container
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. lean — thin
  22. stem — to come from
  23. tube — in a tire
  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