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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 120 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: court · stick · row · tube · deal · board · present · bulb

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. tube — a container
  4. court — for sport
  5. present — there
  6. board — to get on
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. board — a committee
  9. row — to paddle
  10. tube — the underground
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bulb — for light
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. present — the time now
  17. court — of law
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. court — of a king
  22. deal — to handle
  23. row — a line
  24. present — a gift

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