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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. kick — in football
  5. craft — boats
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. spell — magic
  9. chip — for betting
  10. bulb — for light
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. net — after costs
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. craft — a skill
  16. net — in sport
  17. spell — a short time
  18. spell — letters
  19. current — happening now
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. current — electric
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. net — for catching
  24. current — of water

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