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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 124 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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. face — to confront
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. date — the fruit
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. face — part of the head
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. chip — for betting
  11. bulb — for light
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. board — to get on
  14. chip — to eat
  15. face — to point toward
  16. board — a committee
  17. wind — moving air
  18. rush — hurry
  19. wind — moving air
  20. cue — a signal
  21. cue — a hint
  22. cue — for pool
  23. bulb — for light
  24. board — a flat piece

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