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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. band — a music group
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. fall — the season
  8. fall — to drop
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — in music
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. fall — to drop
  15. chip — for betting
  16. chip — to eat
  17. toast — bread
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. band — a ring
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. key — for a lock
  23. dip — to sink
  24. dip — to dunk

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