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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bulb — for light
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. chip — to eat
  5. sharp — clever
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. drill — the tool
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. drill — army training
  11. chip — for betting
  12. craft — boats
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. drill — a practice
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. row — to paddle
  20. row — a line
  21. craft — a skill
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bulb — for light
  24. fork — in a road

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