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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. key — for a lock
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. band — a music group
  6. key — the most important part
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. mug — a cup
  10. rash — a series
  11. rash — hasty
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. mug — a face
  16. game — wild animals
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. chip — to eat
  19. key — in music
  20. chip — for betting
  21. mug — to rob
  22. band — a ring
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. bowl — a dish

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