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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 116 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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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. rash — a series
  6. rash — hasty
  7. net — after costs
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. sharp — clever
  12. chip — to eat
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. bear — the animal
  15. chip — for betting
  16. net — for catching
  17. net — in sport
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. key — for a lock
  20. bear — the animal
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. key — the most important part
  24. 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