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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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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: chip · cabinet · date · court · land · leaves · bulb · cue

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. land — a country
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. land — ground
  7. chip — for betting
  8. bulb — for light
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. chip — to eat
  11. bulb — for light
  12. court — for sport
  13. cue — for pool
  14. court — of a king
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. land — to come down
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. date — the fruit
  20. cue — a hint
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. court — of law

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