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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. chip — to eat
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. bulb — for light
  8. swing — in golf
  9. swing — music
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. chair — a leader
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. chip — for betting
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. game — wild animals
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. swing — to play on
  24. game — a match

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