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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  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. mate — a partner
  2. chip — to eat
  3. staff — a stick
  4. chip — for betting
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. staff — employees
  10. pitch — completely
  11. staff — employees
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mate — to breed
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bear — the animal
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. chip — in a computer
  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