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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 116 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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. ball — a dance
  3. firm — steady
  4. ball — a great time
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. file — a tool
  10. chip — to eat
  11. firm — a company
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. file — a document
  14. firm — decided
  15. cell — a phone
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bulb — for light
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. bulb — for light
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. file — a line of people
  24. bowl — a football final

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