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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. chip — to eat
  4. pop — music
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pop — soda
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pit — a hole
  17. mate — a partner
  18. chip — for betting
  19. deal — to handle
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. pit — in a race
  22. mate — to breed
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. mate — a friend

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