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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. lean — to bend
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. drill — the tool
  6. chip — for betting
  7. file — a document
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bulb — for light
  10. drill — army training
  11. lean — thin
  12. file — a line of people
  13. board — to get on
  14. drill — a practice
  15. rock — music
  16. stock — goods
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stock — shares
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. file — a tool
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. board — a committee

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