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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. bulb — for light
  4. chip — to eat
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bulb — for light
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. swing — music
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. swing — to play on
  19. saw — the tool
  20. sharp — clever
  21. chip — for betting
  22. saw — the tool
  23. swing — in golf
  24. racket — for tennis

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