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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: field · leaves · dip · board · chip · key · bulb · shower

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. field — for sport
  4. board — to get on
  5. bulb — for light
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. chip — for betting
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. shower — rain
  10. field — farmland
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. key — in music
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. bulb — for light
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. key — the most important part
  18. field — a subject
  19. chip — to eat
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. board — a committee
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. dip — to sink
  24. key — for a lock

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