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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. rock — music
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bulb — for light
  8. degree — temperature
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. degree — from a university
  13. degree — an amount
  14. chip — to eat
  15. hand — help
  16. court — for sport
  17. rock — a stone
  18. hand — in cards
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. court — of a king
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bulb — for light

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