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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. march — the month
  3. scale — size or range
  4. chip — for betting
  5. season — of the year
  6. chip — to eat
  7. scale — in music
  8. bulb — for light
  9. tear — from crying
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. tear — from crying
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. march — music
  16. march — the month
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. season — in sport
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — of a plant

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