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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. row — to paddle
  3. key — in music
  4. key — the most important part
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. object — a thing
  7. key — for a lock
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. object — an aim
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chip — for betting
  13. row — a line
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. game — a match
  17. game — wild animals
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. object — to protest
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. row — a quarrel

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