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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.

Make a worksheet

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: kid · board · file · bulb · wave · can · tube · content

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. kid — child
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. kid — to tease
  5. can — to be able to
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. file — a document
  8. can — a tin
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. board — a committee
  11. can — a tin
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. content — happy
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. board — to get on
  17. tube — a container
  18. content — the amount
  19. file — a line of people
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. tube — the underground
  22. bulb — for light
  23. file — a tool
  24. bulb — of a plant

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