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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 116 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: tube · bulb · ball · swing · chip · rock · squash · bark

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. swing — music
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bark — to shout
  6. swing — to play on
  7. tube — a container
  8. ball — a great time
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. squash — the sport
  11. tube — the underground
  12. ball — a dance
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — to eat
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. bulb — for light
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. squash — to crush
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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