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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. suit — in cards
  4. chip — to eat
  5. bulb — for light
  6. suit — to fit
  7. row — to paddle
  8. row — a line
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. hand — help
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. hand — in cards
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. chip — for betting
  21. branch — a division
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. bulb — for light
  24. branch — of a tree

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