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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: tube · racket · court · pass · straw · safe · chip · bulb

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. chip — to eat
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. court — of law
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. chip — for betting
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. tube — a container
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. tube — the underground
  20. court — of a king
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. court — for sport
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. bulb — for light

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