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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bulb — for light
  5. hand — help
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. hand — in cards
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. bulb — for light
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. stand — to bear
  22. fork — in a road
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. leaves — of a tree

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