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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
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: racket · fine · nail · tube · bass · bulb · fall · pound

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. fine — high quality
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. tube — a container
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. fine — all right
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. tube — the underground
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. bass — low music
  18. fall — the season
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. pound — a weight
  24. fall — to drop

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