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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. chip — for betting
  3. rule — government
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. chip — to eat
  7. bulb — for light
  8. scale — in music
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bank — for money
  12. cap — of ice
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pit — a hole
  16. bank — for money
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cap — a hat
  19. bulb — for light
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. dip — to sink
  24. rule — a law

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