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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pop — music
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pit — a hole
  5. tube — a container
  6. dip — to sink
  7. rest — a break
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. tube — the underground
  10. chip — for betting
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pop — to visit
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pop — soda
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. rest — what's left
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. rest — what's left
  23. chip — to eat
  24. pit — in a race

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