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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. mine — for digging
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bulb — for light
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. date — the fruit
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. rush — hurry
  23. bulb — for light
  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