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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: chip · nail · shower · bowl · object · bulb · present · straw

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bulb — for light
  5. chip — to eat
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. present — there
  8. shower — rain
  9. shower — to wash
  10. object — an aim
  11. present — the time now
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. present — a gift
  15. object — a thing
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bulb — for light
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. chip — for betting
  20. object — to protest
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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