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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: bulb · perch · dip · mine · board · season · chip · fan

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. dip — to sink
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. board — to get on
  8. bulb — for light
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. season — of the year
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. chip — to eat
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. mine — for digging
  19. board — a committee
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. perch — the fish
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. season — in sport
  24. bulb — for light

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