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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  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. cell — in biology
  2. court — of a king
  3. chip — to eat
  4. rest — a break
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — of a river
  7. cell — a phone
  8. bulb — for light
  9. chip — for betting
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. court — of law
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. pit — a hole
  17. squash — the sport
  18. court — for sport
  19. pit — in a race
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bank — for money
  22. squash — to crush
  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