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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cap — a lid
  4. key — in music
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. rest — a break
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. mark — a grade
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. roll — a list
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. rest — what's left
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. cap — a hat
  16. branch — a division
  17. key — for a lock
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. key — the most important part
  20. roll — a cake
  21. cap — of ice
  22. bulb — for light
  23. mark — a trace
  24. chip — to eat

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