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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. wound — an injury
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. chip — to eat
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. capital — a city
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. capital — money
  14. date — the fruit
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bank — for money
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bank — for money
  23. bulb — for light
  24. wound — an injury

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