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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. pit — a hole
  4. track — to keep track
  5. suit — to fit
  6. chip — for betting
  7. court — of a king
  8. court — of law
  9. sharp — clever
  10. bulb — for light
  11. track — a song
  12. chip — to eat
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. track — a path
  17. pit — in a race
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bulb — for light
  20. court — for sport
  21. suit — clothes
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. toast — bread
  24. sharp — with an edge

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