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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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468
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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. can — to be able to
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. drill — a practice
  8. chip — to eat
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. key — in music
  11. key — for a lock
  12. pitch — completely
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. can — a tin
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bark — to shout
  20. key — the most important part
  21. drill — the tool
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. chip — for betting
  24. drill — army training

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