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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. key — the most important part
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. kick — in football
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. ball — a great time
  8. pit — a hole
  9. key — in music
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. ball — a dance
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chip — for betting
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. staff — employees
  17. wake — a trail
  18. key — for a lock
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. staff — a stick
  22. pit — in a race
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. wake — before a funeral

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