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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: press · chip · bulb · spell · board · arm · bat · mark

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. chip — for betting
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. board — a committee
  7. press — newspapers
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. spell — magic
  10. bulb — for light
  11. chip — to eat
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bat — the animal
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. press — to push
  16. mark — a grade
  17. board — to get on
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. spell — letters
  20. bulb — for light
  21. spell — a short time
  22. press — a publisher
  23. mark — a trace
  24. arm — part of the body

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