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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pound — a weight
  3. court — of a king
  4. rock — music
  5. chip — for betting
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. court — of law
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. bulb — for light
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. plane — a tool
  13. kick — in football
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. pitch — completely
  16. court — for sport
  17. chip — to eat
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rock — a stone
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. pound — for dogs

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