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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. chip — for betting
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. ball — a great time
  6. stock — shares
  7. stock — goods
  8. key — in music
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. pitch — completely
  11. key — for a lock
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. squash — the sport
  14. toast — bread
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. chip — to eat
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. key — the most important part
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. bulb — for light
  23. squash — to crush
  24. bulb — for light

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