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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. degree — from a university
  5. object — a thing
  6. chip — to eat
  7. object — to protest
  8. bulb — for light
  9. degree — temperature
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. march — music
  13. march — the month
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. chip — for betting
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. march — the month
  18. game — wild animals
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bulb — for light
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. degree — an amount
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. object — an aim

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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