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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mark — a grade
  4. chip — to eat
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. mark — a trace
  10. spell — a short time
  11. spell — letters
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. bulb — for light
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. firm — steady
  16. chip — for betting
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. spell — magic
  20. firm — a company
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. rule — government
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. rule — a law

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