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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 116 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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. last — finally
  4. object — a thing
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. object — an aim
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — in music
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. spell — a short time
  11. spell — magic
  12. last — final
  13. spell — letters
  14. key — for a lock
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. object — to protest
  20. chip — for betting
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pit — a hole
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. last — to go on

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