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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: jam · tube · swing · clip · cue · bulb · trunk · craft

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. swing — to play on
  5. clip — a video
  6. bulb — for light
  7. cue — a signal
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. clip — for paper
  12. swing — music
  13. tube — a container
  14. clip — to cut
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. cue — a hint
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. craft — a skill
  19. bulb — for light
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. tube — the underground
  22. swing — in golf
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. craft — boats

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