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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. rock — a stone
  5. firm — decided
  6. chip — for betting
  7. key — for a lock
  8. degree — temperature
  9. firm — a company
  10. key — in music
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. degree — from a university
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. key — the most important part
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. degree — an amount
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. firm — steady
  24. chip — in a computer

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