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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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. rash — hasty
  4. pitch — completely
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bass — the fish
  8. season — in sport
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. rash — a series
  12. chip — for betting
  13. key — in music
  14. season — of the year
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. key — the most important part
  21. bass — low music
  22. file — a line of people
  23. chip — to eat
  24. file — a tool

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