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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 116 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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. chip — in a computer
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. track — a song
  6. track — a path
  7. bat — the animal
  8. chip — for betting
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. tube — a container
  11. tube — the underground
  12. fork — in a road
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. sharp — clever
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. track — to keep track
  20. chip — to eat
  21. pitch — completely
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — to eat with

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