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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. chip — to eat
  3. bulb — for light
  4. cap — of ice
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. cap — a lid
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. prune — to trim
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bulb — for light
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. prune — to trim
  16. rush — hurry
  17. cap — a hat
  18. wake — a trail
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. chip — for betting
  24. rush — to hurry

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