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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 116 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. kid — to tease
  3. suit — to fit
  4. shower — rain
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. shower — to wash
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bulb — for light
  9. kid — child
  10. key — for a lock
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. game — a match
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. key — in music
  16. suit — clothes
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. chip — for betting
  19. game — wild animals
  20. key — the most important part
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. chip — to eat
  23. bulb — for light
  24. branch — a division

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