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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 116 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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. chip — for betting
  3. cap — a hat
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. swing — to play on
  8. cell — in biology
  9. key — in music
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. key — for a lock
  12. cap — of ice
  13. bulb — for light
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. key — the most important part
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. swing — music
  19. bulb — for light
  20. chip — to eat
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. cell — a phone
  23. suit — clothes
  24. swing — in golf

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