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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: chip · rash · season · calf · bark · craft · bulb · pitch

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — to eat
  4. pitch — completely
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. rash — a series
  13. rash — hasty
  14. season — of the year
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. season — in sport
  18. craft — boats
  19. bark — to shout
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. pitch — a sports field

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