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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 120 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  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. bulb — for light
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. track — a path
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. chip — for betting
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. band — a music group
  10. ground — a position
  11. track — to keep track
  12. track — a song
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. band — a ring
  15. chest — a box
  16. ground — the earth
  17. chest — of your body
  18. ground — crushed
  19. chest — of your body
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. chip — to eat
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. safe — out of danger
  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