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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.

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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: lie · lean · mark · chip · bulb · racket · row · cabinet

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. lean — to bend
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bulb — for light
  5. row — a line
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — to recline
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. chip — for betting
  10. chip — to eat
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. bulb — for light
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. mark — a trace
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lean — thin
  21. row — to paddle
  22. mark — a grade
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. cabinet — ministers

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