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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. object — to protest
  3. can — a tin
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. key — in music
  6. chip — for betting
  7. chip — to eat
  8. band — a ring
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. band — a music group
  12. can — to be able to
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. root — of a plant
  15. wax — to grow
  16. root — the cause
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. root — of a word
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — for a lock
  22. fork — in a road
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — an aim

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