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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rest — a break
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. wind — moving air
  9. chip — for betting
  10. chip — to eat
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. perch — the fish
  13. firm — steady
  14. firm — decided
  15. rest — what's left
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bulb — for light
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. firm — a company
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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