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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. bulb — for light
  6. scale — size or range
  7. chip — for betting
  8. spring — the season
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. spring — of water
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. rush — hurry
  14. spring — a coil
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. bulb — for light
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. scale — in music

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