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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bass — low music
  3. rest — what's left
  4. chip — to eat
  5. bass — the fish
  6. key — the most important part
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. rash — a series
  10. rash — hasty
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mine — for digging
  13. rest — what's left
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. key — for a lock
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. rest — a break
  23. key — in music
  24. fan — to cool the air

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