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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. chip — for betting
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bank — for money
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. foot — a measure
  9. game — wild animals
  10. game — a match
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bank — for money
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rock — music
  18. object — an aim
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. wound — an injury
  23. object — to protest
  24. object — a thing

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