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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: shower · wound · cabinet · rule · bay · rock · chip · bulb

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rock — music
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. rule — government
  10. shower — rain
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. shower — to wash
  14. chip — for betting
  15. rule — a law
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. rock — a stone
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. chip — to eat

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