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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. chip — to eat
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. scale — in music
  12. court — for sport
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. plane — a tool
  15. scale — size or range
  16. court — of law
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — a price
  19. wake — a trail
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. charge — in control
  24. court — of a king

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