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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bound — certain
  6. bound — tied together
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. chip — for betting
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. kick — in football
  13. lean — to bend
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. wind — moving air
  16. chip — to eat
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bound — obliged
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. wind — moving air
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. lean — thin
  24. kick — with a leg

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