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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. mate — to breed
  5. saw — the tool
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. cell — in biology
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. key — the most important part
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. deal — to handle
  12. staff — employees
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. staff — employees
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mate — a partner
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — to eat
  19. key — in music
  20. key — for a lock
  21. mate — a friend
  22. cell — a phone
  23. saw — the tool
  24. chip — for betting

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