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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. suit — in cards
  5. mark — a grade
  6. chip — to eat
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. object — a thing
  12. suit — to fit
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. object — to protest
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bat — the animal
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. suit — clothes
  21. lie — to recline
  22. chip — for betting
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. object — an aim

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