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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 have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. mate — a partner
  4. bulb — for light
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. saw — the tool
  7. mate — a friend
  8. cell — in biology
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. chip — for betting
  12. cell — a phone
  13. mate — to breed
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. saw — the tool
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. chip — to eat
  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