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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bank — for money
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. bulb — for light
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bank — of a river
  10. chip — for betting
  11. squash — the sport
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. fall — to drop
  16. squash — to crush
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bank — for money
  21. fall — the season
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. fall — to drop
  24. squash — the vegetable

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