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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 120 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: track · bulb · bear · chip · hand · ball · firm · rush

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. rush — hurry
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bulb — for light
  5. firm — steady
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. chip — to eat
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. firm — a company
  11. ball — a dance
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. track — a song
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. track — a path
  16. bear — the animal
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. track — to keep track
  20. bear — the animal
  21. hand — in cards
  22. firm — decided
  23. ball — a great time
  24. rush — to hurry

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