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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. chip — for betting
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. pass — a permit
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. bulb — for light
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. plane — a tool
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. toast — bread
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. chip — to eat

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