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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 116 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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. charge — a price
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. chip — to eat
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. clip — for paper
  13. clip — a video
  14. charge — electricity
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. chip — for betting
  18. key — in music
  19. clip — to cut
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. key — the most important part
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. charge — in control
  24. racket — a loud noise

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