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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  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. deal — to handle
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. ball — a dance
  5. current — electric
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. rock — music
  12. chip — for betting
  13. current — of water
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. wind — moving air
  17. current — happening now
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. wind — to turn a key
  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