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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bulb — for light
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. mark — a grade
  7. staff — employees
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. staff — employees
  11. squash — the sport
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. chip — for betting
  14. staff — a stick
  15. chip — to eat
  16. squash — to crush
  17. mark — a trace
  18. 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