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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bulb — for light
  3. fall — the season
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bulb — for light
  6. chip — for betting
  7. chair — a leader
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. fall — to drop
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. sharp — clever
  13. chip — to eat
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. content — the amount
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. bank — for money
  19. content — happy
  20. bank — for money
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. bank — of a river
  24. chair — to sit on

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