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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  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. date — on the calendar
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — for betting
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. ball — a great time
  6. kid — child
  7. bulb — for light
  8. kid — to tease
  9. rock — music
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. date — the fruit
  12. ball — a dance
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. rock — a stone
  23. toast — bread
  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