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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: fan · tube · swing · file · season · can · spell · bulb

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. file — a line of people
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. swing — music
  6. can — to be able to
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bulb — for light
  9. tube — a container
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. can — a tin
  12. season — in sport
  13. file — a document
  14. swing — to play on
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bulb — for light
  17. tube — the underground
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. swing — in golf
  20. file — a tool
  21. spell — a short time
  22. spell — letters
  23. season — of the year
  24. can — a tin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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