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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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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 · board · date · chip · content · lean · hand · firm

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. firm — steady
  8. lean — to bend
  9. bulb — for light
  10. firm — a company
  11. chip — for betting
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. hand — in cards
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a committee
  16. content — the amount
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. date — the fruit
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. chip — to eat
  21. lean — thin
  22. hand — help
  23. content — happy
  24. firm — decided

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