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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. degree — temperature
  5. degree — an amount
  6. chip — to eat
  7. fork — in a road
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. degree — from a university
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. key — for a lock
  13. chip — for betting
  14. ball — a dance
  15. key — the most important part
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. ball — a great time
  18. key — in music

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