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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. object — an aim
  3. ground — a position
  4. wax — to grow
  5. ground — the earth
  6. degree — temperature
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bulb — for light
  9. degree — from a university
  10. current — electric
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. current — happening now
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ground — crushed
  18. current — of water
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. bulb — for light
  21. degree — an amount
  22. object — a thing
  23. object — to protest
  24. chip — to eat

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