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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. suit — to fit
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bulb — for light
  7. land — to come down
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. bulb — for light
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. deal — to handle
  16. chair — a leader
  17. land — a country
  18. land — ground
  19. fall — to drop
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chip — to eat
  22. suit — clothes
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. fall — to drop

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