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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. wind — moving air
  3. board — a committee
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. chip — to eat
  8. clip — to cut
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wind — moving air
  11. kick — in football
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pit — a hole
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. board — to get on
  17. clip — for paper
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. clip — a video
  22. chip — for betting
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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