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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 · cap · bulb · ground · rest · chip · bear · rush

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rest — what's left
  6. ground — a position
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rush — hurry
  9. cap — a hat
  10. ground — the earth
  11. rest — a break
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. cap — a lid
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bear — the animal
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. cap — of ice
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. ground — crushed
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. chip — for betting

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