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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bass — low music
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. date — the fruit
  9. tube — the underground
  10. pass — a permit
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — a container
  13. chip — for betting
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. chip — to eat
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bowl — a football final

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