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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 120 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: mark · bulb · rush · fork · rest · chip · chair · racket

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. mark — a grade
  9. chip — for betting
  10. chip — to eat
  11. mark — a trace
  12. fork — in a road
  13. rest — a break
  14. rush — hurry
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. rest — what's left
  19. chair — a leader
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. rest — what's left
  23. chair — to sit on
  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