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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 120 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. bass — low music
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. chip — for betting
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. mine — for digging
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. bulb — for light
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. fine — high quality
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. rush — hurry
  18. bulb — for light
  19. fine — all right
  20. ball — a dance
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. ball — a great time
  24. fine — a penalty

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