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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. mine — for digging
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bear — the animal
  7. net — in sport
  8. ground — the earth
  9. net — after costs
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. ground — crushed
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. ground — a position
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. chip — to eat
  19. net — for catching
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. bear — to put up with

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