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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. pop — music
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pop — soda
  8. date — the fruit
  9. rest — what's left
  10. chip — to eat
  11. bulb — for light
  12. suit — to fit
  13. pop — to visit
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. suit — in cards
  16. degree — an amount
  17. degree — temperature
  18. chip — for betting
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. bulb — for light
  23. degree — from a university
  24. rest — a break

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