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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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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. court — of law
  3. bear — the animal
  4. key — in music
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. bear — the animal
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. court — for sport
  9. chip — for betting
  10. scale — in music
  11. court — of a king
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. key — for a lock
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. scale — size or range
  19. kick — in football
  20. key — the most important part
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. pass — a permit
  23. chip — to eat
  24. kick — a thrill

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