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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. race — humankind
  4. pop — to visit
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. chip — to eat
  9. pop — music
  10. staff — a stick
  11. race — the arms race
  12. race — a contest
  13. hand — in cards
  14. chip — for betting
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — for light
  18. staff — employees
  19. hand — help
  20. staff — employees
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. fine — high quality
  24. pop — soda

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