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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: game · deal · pit · branch · spring · tube · bulb · fine

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. tube — the underground
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. branch — a division
  10. deal — to handle
  11. spring — of water
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. game — wild animals
  14. tube — a container
  15. fine — all right
  16. spring — a coil
  17. pit — in a race
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. spring — the season
  21. game — a match
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. fine — high quality

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