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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. saw — the tool
  4. ball — a great time
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. bulb — for light
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. chip — for betting
  13. plane — a tool
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. saw — the tool
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a dance
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. chip — to eat
  24. plane — an aircraft

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