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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. drill — army training
  4. mate — a friend
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. pop — soda
  7. suit — clothes
  8. key — in music
  9. chip — to eat
  10. drill — the tool
  11. suit — to fit
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bear — the animal
  14. key — for a lock
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. key — the most important part
  17. pop — to visit
  18. suit — in cards
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. bear — the animal
  21. mate — a partner
  22. drill — a practice
  23. pop — music
  24. mate — to breed

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