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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: object · bulb · stick · bay · fine · wake · can · chip

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. object — an aim
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. fine — all right
  6. can — to be able to
  7. can — a tin
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — to eat
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. object — to protest
  15. chip — for betting
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bulb — for light
  21. fine — high quality
  22. can — a tin
  23. object — a thing
  24. wake — a trail

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