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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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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. bulb — for light
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rock — a stone
  9. charge — in control
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. date — the fruit
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — electricity
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. pitch — completely
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. rock — music
  24. trunk — of a tree

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