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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 124 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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. firm — a company
  4. season — in sport
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. chip — to eat
  8. chip — for betting
  9. bulb — for light
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. season — of the year
  12. firm — steady
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. lean — to bend
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. lean — thin
  18. roll — a cake
  19. roll — a list
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. firm — decided
  24. wake — a trail

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