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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.

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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. chip — to eat
  4. spell — letters
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. spell — a short time
  8. chip — for betting
  9. staff — employees
  10. bank — for money
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bank — for money
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bulb — for light
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. spell — magic
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. staff — employees
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. mouse — the animal

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