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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 120 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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. pound — a weight
  4. chip — for betting
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. chip — to eat
  7. key — the most important part
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. march — the month
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. march — music
  18. key — for a lock
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. march — the month
  23. key — in music
  24. wake — a trail

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