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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  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. bay — a part of the sea
  2. chip — for betting
  3. pop — to visit
  4. key — the most important part
  5. ball — a dance
  6. foot — a measure
  7. pop — soda
  8. key — for a lock
  9. rest — a break
  10. chip — to eat
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. rest — what's left
  16. ball — a great time
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. pop — music
  19. rest — what's left
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. key — in music
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  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