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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. chip — to eat
  4. pitch — completely
  5. can — to be able to
  6. chest — a box
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. bulb — for light
  16. chip — for betting
  17. chest — of your body
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bulb — for light
  21. chest — of your body
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. fan — a supporter

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