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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 120 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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. key — the most important part
  3. bulb — for light
  4. race — humankind
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. object — to protest
  8. key — in music
  9. bulb — for light
  10. current — electric
  11. race — the arms race
  12. object — an aim
  13. object — a thing
  14. board — a committee
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. race — a contest
  17. board — to get on
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — for betting
  20. key — for a lock
  21. current — happening now
  22. current — of water
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — before a funeral

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