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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. chip — to eat
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hand — help
  8. key — the most important part
  9. chip — for betting
  10. band — a ring
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. key — in music
  18. toast — bread
  19. band — a music group
  20. kick — in football
  21. key — for a lock
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. hand — in cards

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