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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. bass — low music
  3. ball — a great time
  4. board — a committee
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bass — the fish
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. bulb — for light
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. board — to get on
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. bark — to shout
  20. chip — for betting
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. lash — to lash out

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