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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. bark — to shout
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. staff — employees
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. staff — a stick
  8. bulb — for light
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bank — of a river
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. fall — the season
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bank — for money
  18. staff — employees
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. roll — a list
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. chip — to eat
  23. chip — for betting
  24. bank — for money

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