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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. drill — army training
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bound — obliged
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. swing — in golf
  9. swing — to play on
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. staff — employees
  12. key — the most important part
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. key — in music
  15. key — for a lock
  16. drill — a practice
  17. drill — the tool
  18. staff — employees
  19. bound — certain
  20. bound — tied together
  21. swing — music
  22. staff — a stick
  23. chip — for betting
  24. wave — with your hand

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