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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. current — electric
  4. cell — in biology
  5. current — happening now
  6. chip — for betting
  7. cell — a phone
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. deal — to handle
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bulb — for light
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. current — of water
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. chip — to eat
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. file — a document
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. file — a tool
  24. bulb — for light

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