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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. chip — to eat
  3. degree — temperature
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — in music
  6. press — to push
  7. object — to protest
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. object — an aim
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. chip — for betting
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. key — the most important part
  15. rash — hasty
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. rash — a series
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. degree — an amount
  20. degree — from a university
  21. press — newspapers
  22. press — a publisher
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. safe — out of danger

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