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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 116 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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. object — a thing
  3. staff — employees
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. chip — for betting
  7. rule — government
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. swing — music
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. staff — a stick
  13. chip — to eat
  14. staff — employees
  15. swing — in golf
  16. object — to protest
  17. rule — a law
  18. key — the most important part
  19. swing — to play on
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. object — an aim
  23. key — in music
  24. stem — to come from

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