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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. spring — the season
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bulb — for light
  7. content — happy
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. chip — to eat
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. spring — a coil
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. content — the amount
  14. bulb — for light
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. spring — of water
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. suit — in cards
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. branch — a division
  24. suit — clothes

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