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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. spring — the season
  3. march — the month
  4. club — for dancing
  5. bulb — for light
  6. chip — for betting
  7. spring — of water
  8. club — a group
  9. lean — thin
  10. suit — to fit
  11. mark — a trace
  12. spring — a coil
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. march — the month
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a grade
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — clothes
  20. chip — to eat
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. lean — to bend
  23. bulb — for light
  24. march — music

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