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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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Word bank
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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. rule — government
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bulb — for light
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. present — the time now
  7. wind — moving air
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. present — a gift
  11. rule — a law
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. present — there
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bulb — for light
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. chip — for betting
  20. charge — in control
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. charge — a price

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