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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bulb — for light
  4. ball — a great time
  5. chip — for betting
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. game — a match
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. spell — magic
  10. stock — shares
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. spell — letters
  14. ball — a dance
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. game — wild animals
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. bulb — for light
  19. stock — goods
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. spell — a short time
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. chip — in a computer

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