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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. key — in music
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — magic
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. plane — a tool
  9. prune — to trim
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bulb — for light
  13. key — the most important part
  14. pitch — completely
  15. chip — to eat
  16. prune — to trim
  17. spell — a short time
  18. deal — to handle
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. key — for a lock
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. bulb — for light

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