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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 120 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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  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. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. hand — help
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. hand — in cards
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. track — to keep track
  11. track — a path
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. bank — for money
  14. chip — to eat
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — of a river
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. track — a song
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rush — hurry
  23. bulb — of a plant
  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