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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. cold — not warm
  5. chip — to eat
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. rule — a law
  8. scale — size or range
  9. can — a tin
  10. chip — for betting
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. key — for a lock
  13. scale — in music
  14. lean — to bend
  15. can — to be able to
  16. lean — thin
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. rule — government
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. key — in music
  21. deal — to handle
  22. key — the most important part
  23. cold — an illness
  24. can — a tin

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