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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. key — in music
  5. file — a line of people
  6. ball — a dance
  7. fork — in a road
  8. chip — for betting
  9. march — the month
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. charge — electricity
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. chip — to eat
  14. key — the most important part
  15. ball — a great time
  16. charge — in control
  17. file — a tool
  18. key — for a lock
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. file — a document
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. march — music
  24. charge — a price

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