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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. chip — for betting
  12. land — ground
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mark — a trace
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. chip — to eat
  19. lie — to recline
  20. land — to come down
  21. deal — to handle
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bass — low music
  24. land — a country

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