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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. bulb — for light
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pass — a permit
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. chip — to eat
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. branch — a division
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. swing — to play on
  13. field — a subject
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. field — for sport
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. field — farmland
  20. bulb — for light
  21. chip — for betting
  22. swing — in golf
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. temple — side of the head

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