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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. bulb — for light
  5. chip — for betting
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. drill — the tool
  8. field — for sport
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. field — a subject
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. drill — army training
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. stand — to bear
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. craft — boats
  22. field — farmland
  23. craft — a skill
  24. drill — a practice

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