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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: bulb · spring · track · can · pass · dip · band · tube

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. spring — of water
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. track — a song
  5. spring — a coil
  6. bulb — for light
  7. band — a ring
  8. tube — a container
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. band — a music group
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. bulb — for light
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. dip — to sink
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. pass — a permit
  19. track — a path
  20. track — to keep track
  21. can — a tin
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. tube — the underground

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