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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. chip — to eat
  3. foot — a measure
  4. wake — a trail
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. drill — army training
  8. drill — the tool
  9. pop — music
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. pop — soda
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. pop — to visit
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. mine — for digging
  19. drill — a practice
  20. key — in music
  21. chip — for betting
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. key — the most important part
  24. toast — bread

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