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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: object · mouse · bulb · ball · stand · wake · saw · chip

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. saw — the tool
  3. stand — to bear
  4. object — an aim
  5. chip — to eat
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a dance
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. chip — for betting
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. object — a thing
  18. ball — a great time
  19. saw — the tool
  20. wake — a trail
  21. object — to protest
  22. bulb — for light
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mouse — the animal

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