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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: stick · bulb · track · game · suit · ruler · file · chip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — in cards
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. track — to keep track
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. track — a song
  9. bulb — for light
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. bulb — for light
  12. file — a line of people
  13. track — a path
  14. chip — to eat
  15. game — a match
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. file — a document
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. game — wild animals
  21. file — a tool
  22. suit — clothes
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. bulb — of a plant

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