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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. firm — decided
  3. bank — for money
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bat — the animal
  6. firm — steady
  7. hand — in cards
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. chip — for betting
  12. rest — what's left
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. bank — for money
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. bank — of a river
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. hand — help
  20. bulb — for light
  21. chip — to eat
  22. firm — a company
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. rest — a break

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