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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. track — a song
  4. key — in music
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — there
  8. object — to protest
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. key — for a lock
  11. snap — to click
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. chair — a leader
  14. object — an aim
  15. object — a thing
  16. track — a path
  17. present — the time now
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. chip — to eat
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. key — the most important part
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. track — to keep track

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