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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mark — a trace
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. mark — a grade
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. chip — to eat
  8. key — in music
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bear — the animal
  11. chip — for betting
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. capital — a city
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. toast — bread
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. capital — money
  19. bear — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. key — the most important part
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bear — to put up with

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