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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 120 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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. key — the most important part
  3. degree — from a university
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. key — in music
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. rule — government
  9. chip — to eat
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. chip — for betting
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. rule — a law
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. stand — to bear
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. degree — an amount
  21. degree — temperature
  22. plane — a tool
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — side of the head

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