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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.

Make a worksheet

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: chip · wave · object · spell · file · mine · bulb · bowl

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. file — a tool
  3. spell — magic
  4. spell — a short time
  5. mine — for digging
  6. spell — letters
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bulb — for light
  10. object — to protest
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. file — a document
  13. file — a line of people
  14. bulb — for light
  15. chip — for betting
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. object — a thing
  20. object — an aim
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. wave — of the sea

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