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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 116 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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. staff — employees
  3. swing — to play on
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. chip — for betting
  6. mug — to rob
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. swing — music
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. mug — a face
  11. chip — to eat
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. swing — in golf
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. staff — a stick
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. bulb — for light
  22. staff — employees
  23. saw — the tool
  24. mug — a cup

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