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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. can — to be able to
  3. root — the cause
  4. chip — for betting
  5. drill — a practice
  6. drill — army training
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. deal — to handle
  10. drill — the tool
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bulb — for light
  13. sharp — clever
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. can — a tin
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. root — of a word
  21. root — of a plant
  22. chip — to eat
  23. can — a tin
  24. sharp — exactly

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