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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. land — a country
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. row — to paddle
  5. key — the most important part
  6. swing — in golf
  7. chip — to eat
  8. land — to come down
  9. swing — to play on
  10. swing — music
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. land — ground
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. row — a line
  17. bass — the fish
  18. vault — a safe
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. chip — for betting
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. key — for a lock
  24. key — in music

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