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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. spell — a short time
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. mine — for digging
  6. spell — magic
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. chip — to eat
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. spell — letters
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bulb — for light
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. plane — a tool
  18. board — a committee
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. board — to get on
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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