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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. file — a document
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. suit — in cards
  7. file — a tool
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. court — of law
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. file — a line of people
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. bulb — for light
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. suit — clothes
  17. chip — to eat
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. court — of a king
  20. chip — for betting
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. court — for sport
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bulb — for light

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