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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 computer ________________ on the table.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. band — a music group
  4. scale — size or range
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — happy
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. scale — in music
  17. chip — for betting
  18. craft — a skill
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bulb — for light
  22. chip — to eat
  23. band — a ring
  24. deal — an agreement

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