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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. chip — for betting
  3. field — a subject
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. can — a tin
  6. field — for sport
  7. can — a tin
  8. pop — soda
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. chip — to eat
  14. capital — a city
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pop — music
  17. pass — a permit
  18. can — to be able to
  19. capital — money
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. bulb — for light
  23. field — farmland
  24. pop — to visit

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