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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. fine — high quality
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. chip — to eat
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bore — to tire
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. fall — to drop
  10. content — the amount
  11. fall — to drop
  12. chip — for betting
  13. net — after costs
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. net — in sport
  16. fine — all right
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. content — happy
  20. key — in music
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bore — to drill
  23. fall — the season
  24. net — for catching

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