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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 116 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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. suit — in cards
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. row — to paddle
  5. bulb — for light
  6. chip — for betting
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. rest — what's left
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stem — to come from
  11. bound — certain
  12. chip — to eat
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. row — a line
  15. bound — tied together
  16. suit — to fit
  17. rest — what's left
  18. suit — clothes
  19. bulb — for light
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. rest — a break
  24. nail — on a finger

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