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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — for a lock
  6. face — part of the head
  7. game — wild animals
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. key — in music
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. game — a match
  12. present — the time now
  13. present — a gift
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. chip — for betting
  16. face — to confront
  17. chip — to eat
  18. face — to point toward
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. pound — a weight
  21. present — there
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. rash — hasty
  24. pound — to hit hard

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