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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. staff — employees
  3. last — final
  4. mug — to rob
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. bass — low music
  7. staff — employees
  8. mug — a cup
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — for betting
  11. key — for a lock
  12. last — finally
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. last — to go on
  15. tube — a container
  16. chip — to eat
  17. key — the most important part
  18. tube — the underground
  19. staff — a stick
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bass — the fish
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. mug — a face

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