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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 124 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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. wind — moving air
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. chip — for betting
  6. fine — all right
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. wind — moving air
  9. bulb — for light
  10. fine — high quality
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. craft — boats
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. craft — a skill
  20. chip — to eat
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bulb — for light
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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