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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: bulb · rest · season · mark · chip · firm · field · calf

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. field — a subject
  3. mark — a trace
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. rest — what's left
  8. chip — to eat
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. firm — decided
  11. chip — for betting
  12. bulb — for light
  13. rest — what's left
  14. mark — a grade
  15. season — of the year
  16. season — in sport
  17. field — for sport
  18. field — farmland
  19. firm — steady
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. firm — a company
  22. rest — a break
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. calf — a young 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