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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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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: bulb · chip · mark · root · present · snap · pass · wave

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. present — a gift
  3. bulb — for light
  4. chip — for betting
  5. present — the time now
  6. mark — a trace
  7. present — there
  8. mark — a grade
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. root — the cause
  12. bulb — for light
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. root — of a plant
  19. root — of a word
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. snap — to click
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. mark — to pay attention

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