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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.

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: chest · hand · safe · chip · spring · bulb · suit · bay

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. bulb — for light
  4. chest — a box
  5. suit — to fit
  6. chip — to eat
  7. hand — in cards
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. bulb — for light
  12. spring — a coil
  13. hand — help
  14. chest — of your body
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. chest — of your body
  17. spring — the season
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. chip — for betting
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. suit — in cards
  24. spring — of water

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