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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. key — for a lock
  3. wake — a trail
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. chip — to eat
  8. object — to protest
  9. object — an aim
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. deal — to handle
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. object — a thing
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. key — in music
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. ball — a dance
  20. kick — in football
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. key — the most important part
  24. chip — for betting

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