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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. chip — for betting
  5. bank — for money
  6. suit — clothes
  7. game — a match
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. deal — to handle
  10. cap — a lid
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bank — for money
  14. cap — of ice
  15. bulb — for light
  16. chip — to eat
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bulb — for light
  19. suit — in cards
  20. cap — a hat
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bat — the animal
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. game — wild animals

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