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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 broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. rest — what's left
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. spring — of water
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. game — wild animals
  9. can — a tin
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. pop — soda
  12. chip — for betting
  13. can — a tin
  14. game — a match
  15. pop — to visit
  16. spring — the season
  17. can — to be able to
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — a break
  20. chip — to eat
  21. tube — a container
  22. pop — music
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. tube — the underground

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