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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 120 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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bulb — for light
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. current — of water
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. rest — a break
  10. rush — hurry
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. branch — a division
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — to visit
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. pop — soda
  18. rest — what's left
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. chip — to eat
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. current — happening now
  23. current — electric
  24. chip — in a computer

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