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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: key · bulb · ruler · foot · kid · rush · swing · chip

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. kid — to tease
  3. bulb — for light
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. kid — child
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rush — hurry
  9. key — in music
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. swing — in golf
  12. key — the most important part
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. key — for a lock
  15. swing — music
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. swing — to play on
  18. chip — to eat
  19. chip — for betting
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. foot — a measure
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. foot — 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