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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 · bulb · cap · jam · cabinet · drill · leaves · date

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. chip — to eat
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. cap — a hat
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bulb — for light
  10. drill — the tool
  11. date — the fruit
  12. cap — a lid
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. cap — of ice
  17. drill — army training
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. chip — for betting
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. drill — a practice
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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