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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. chip — for betting
  3. key — for a lock
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. saw — the tool
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. drill — the tool
  9. chip — to eat
  10. band — a ring
  11. drill — army training
  12. firm — steady
  13. key — in music
  14. saw — the tool
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. drill — a practice
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pit — in a race
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. pit — a hole
  22. firm — decided
  23. band — a music group
  24. key — the most important part

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