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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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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: wound · kid · mouse · tube · arm · bulb · deal · stick

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. kid — child
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bulb — for light
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. tube — a container
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. kid — to tease
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. deal — to handle
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wound — an injury
  22. tube — the underground
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. arm — part of the body

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