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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. key — the most important part
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. present — there
  5. net — for catching
  6. net — after costs
  7. chip — for betting
  8. net — in sport
  9. bat — the animal
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. present — the time now
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. cue — a hint
  16. chip — to eat
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. cue — for pool
  20. key — in music
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. cue — a signal
  23. key — for a lock
  24. temple — side of the head

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