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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. key — the most important part
  3. chip — to eat
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. object — an aim
  8. prune — to trim
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. suit — clothes
  11. object — to protest
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. key — in music
  14. track — to keep track
  15. key — for a lock
  16. track — a path
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. chip — for betting
  19. track — a song
  20. cold — an illness
  21. suit — to fit
  22. object — a thing
  23. prune — to trim
  24. cold — not warm

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