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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. chip — to eat
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. deal — to handle
  6. roll — a list
  7. roll — a cake
  8. pound — a weight
  9. bulb — for light
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. current — happening now
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. chip — for betting
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. present — there
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pass — a permit
  18. current — of water
  19. present — the time now
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. current — electric
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. present — a gift
  24. pass — to succeed

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