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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. suit — clothes
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. spring — the season
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. march — music
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. key — the most important part
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. chip — for betting
  14. march — the month
  15. spring — a coil
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. spring — of water
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. key — in music
  20. chair — a leader
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. key — for a lock
  23. march — the month
  24. nail — for a hammer

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