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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 120 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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. board — a committee
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — to get on
  5. chip — to eat
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. mate — a friend
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. key — in music
  12. key — for a lock
  13. mate — a partner
  14. chip — for betting
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. pop — soda
  17. pop — to visit
  18. mate — to breed
  19. rock — a stone
  20. wax — to grow
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. pop — music
  23. rock — music
  24. trunk — of a tree

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