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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 116 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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. chip — for betting
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. bulb — for light
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mate — a partner
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. mate — to breed
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. bulb — for light
  20. chair — a leader
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. chair — a professorship

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