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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. chip — to eat
  3. game — a match
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. key — the most important part
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. key — in music
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. chip — for betting
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. game — wild animals
  18. pass — a permit
  19. branch — a division
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. key — for a lock

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