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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. court — of a king
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. can — to be able to
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — to eat
  7. pit — in a race
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. rush — hurry
  10. can — a tin
  11. squash — to crush
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. key — for a lock
  15. squash — the sport
  16. key — the most important part
  17. court — for sport
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. can — a tin
  20. key — in music
  21. court — of law
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. squash — the vegetable

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