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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: pop · rest · chip · trunk · racket · bulb · stand · saw

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. saw — the tool
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. saw — the tool
  5. rest — what's left
  6. pop — soda
  7. rest — a break
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pop — to visit
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. chip — for betting
  13. pop — music
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. bulb — for light
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. chip — to eat
  24. rest — what's left

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