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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: leaves · club · rush · chip · cabinet · foot · bulb · net

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. club — for dancing
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. chip — for betting
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rush — hurry
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. club — for golf
  12. net — after costs
  13. foot — a measure
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bulb — for light
  17. chip — to eat
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. net — for catching
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. club — a group
  22. net — in sport
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rush — a thrill

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