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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bank — of a river
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. spring — a coil
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. chip — for betting
  10. bank — for money
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. bank — for money
  13. bulb — for light
  14. perch — the fish
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. spring — of water
  17. chip — to eat
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. spring — the season
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. date — the fruit

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