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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. can — a tin
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. bulb — for light
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. bulb — for light
  9. object — an aim
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. game — a match
  13. file — a line of people
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. file — a document
  16. chip — for betting
  17. chip — to eat
  18. can — to be able to
  19. game — wild animals
  20. object — a thing
  21. file — a tool
  22. object — to protest
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. can — a tin

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