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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. chip — for betting
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. deal — to handle
  7. degree — an amount
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. degree — temperature
  10. suit — clothes
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. key — the most important part
  13. suit — to fit
  14. chip — to eat
  15. suit — in cards
  16. key — for a lock
  17. bat — the animal
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. branch — a division
  21. snap — to click
  22. key — in music
  23. degree — from a university
  24. branch — of a tree

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