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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. chip — for betting
  6. race — humankind
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. race — a contest
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pitch — completely
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. chip — to eat
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — a break
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. race — the arms race
  23. bulb — for light
  24. pitch — a sports field

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