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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. spell — a short time
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. can — a tin
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bulb — for light
  9. spell — letters
  10. spell — magic
  11. chair — a leader
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. chip — for betting
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. can — to be able to
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. can — a tin
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bass — low music
  24. kick — in football

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