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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. bulb — for light
  3. current — of water
  4. chip — for betting
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. rest — what's left
  8. prune — to trim
  9. current — electric
  10. current — happening now
  11. bulb — for light
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. rest — a break
  15. saw — the tool
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. saw — the tool
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. rest — what's left
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. prune — to trim
  24. racket — for tennis

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