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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. object — an aim
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. chip — for betting
  5. object — to protest
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. bulb — for light
  8. stock — goods
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rule — government
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. rule — a law
  13. stock — shares
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cell — a phone
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bulb — for light
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. object — a thing
  24. cell — in biology

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