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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. mug — to rob
  3. pit — in a race
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bark — to shout
  10. chip — to eat
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. pop — soda
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. suit — to fit
  19. pop — to visit
  20. wind — moving air
  21. mug — a face
  22. mug — a cup
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pop — music

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