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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. bulb — for light
  4. capital — a city
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bulb — for light
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. club — for golf
  13. chip — for betting
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. club — a group
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. capital — money
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. rule — a law
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. chip — to eat
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. rule — government

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