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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. rock — a stone
  4. mate — a friend
  5. drill — a practice
  6. mate — to breed
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. spring — a coil
  9. rock — music
  10. spring — of water
  11. spring — the season
  12. drill — army training
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. squash — to crush
  15. chip — for betting
  16. bulb — for light
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mate — a partner
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. chip — to eat
  22. squash — the sport
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. drill — the tool

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