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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. fork — in a road
  3. wound — an injury
  4. track — to keep track
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. cold — an illness
  8. suit — clothes
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. suit — in cards
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. cold — not warm
  16. track — a path
  17. track — a song
  18. chip — to eat
  19. wound — an injury
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. chip — for betting
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. suit — to fit

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