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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. chip — to eat
  4. lean — thin
  5. firm — a company
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. bound — obliged
  9. sharp — clever
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. lean — to bend
  12. firm — decided
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. bound — certain
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. firm — steady
  21. bound — tied together
  22. chip — for betting
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. dip — to sink

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