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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. key — in music
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. drill — the tool
  7. key — for a lock
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. key — the most important part
  11. squash — to crush
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — boats
  14. squash — the sport
  15. drill — a practice
  16. chip — for betting
  17. craft — a skill
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. drill — army training
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. jam — in traffic

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