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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. ground — crushed
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. drill — the tool
  8. ground — the earth
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. rush — hurry
  11. club — for dancing
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. season — in sport
  14. drill — army training
  15. chip — for betting
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bulb — for light
  18. club — a group
  19. season — of the year
  20. ground — a position
  21. club — for golf
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. drill — a practice
  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