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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bat — the animal
  4. chip — for betting
  5. track — a path
  6. bulb — for light
  7. cue — a signal
  8. bulb — for light
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. swing — in golf
  11. cue — for pool
  12. track — to keep track
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. track — a song
  15. swing — to play on
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. swing — music
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. cue — a hint
  24. chip — to eat

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