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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rush · spell · pitcher · chip · clip · bulb · bowl · ruler

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. clip — a video
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. chip — to eat
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. spell — letters
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. spell — magic
  17. bulb — for light
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. clip — for paper
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. clip — to cut
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rush — hurry
  24. pitcher — a jug

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