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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 124 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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. content — happy
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bulb — for light
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. chip — for betting
  14. object — a thing
  15. object — to protest
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. chip — to eat
  19. object — an aim
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. bulb — for light

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