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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. key — the most important part
  3. ball — a great time
  4. board — to get on
  5. key — for a lock
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. key — in music
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. chip — to eat
  13. board — a committee
  14. chip — for betting
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. ball — a dance
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. rest — what's left
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. rest — what's left
  24. jam — a tight spot

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