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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. pit — in a race
  3. chip — for betting
  4. track — a path
  5. snap — to click
  6. key — in music
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. chip — to eat
  9. saw — the tool
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. track — a song
  12. bulb — for light
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. saw — the tool
  16. track — to keep track
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. pit — a hole
  19. key — for a lock
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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