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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  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. lean — to bend
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. mark — a grade
  4. saw — the tool
  5. key — the most important part
  6. pop — to visit
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. saw — the tool
  13. mark — a trace
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. pop — music
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. key — in music
  18. lean — thin
  19. chip — to eat
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. pop — soda
  22. key — for a lock
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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