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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 · tube · suit · bulb · rock · bay · snap · wave

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. tube — a container
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. chip — for betting
  6. suit — clothes
  7. chip — to eat
  8. tube — the underground
  9. snap — to click
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. rock — music
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. suit — to fit
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bulb — for light
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bulb — for light

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