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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. key — in music
  3. key — for a lock
  4. ground — a position
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rock — a stone
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. hand — help
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. hand — in cards
  13. cell — a phone
  14. bore — to tire
  15. key — the most important part
  16. ground — the earth
  17. cell — in biology
  18. rock — music
  19. bore — to drill
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. ground — crushed
  23. chip — to eat
  24. fan — to cool the air

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