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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. key — the most important part
  3. squash — the sport
  4. squash — to crush
  5. ground — the earth
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. firm — steady
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. ground — crushed
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. ground — a position
  15. court — of law
  16. firm — a company
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. firm — decided
  19. chip — to eat
  20. key — for a lock
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. court — of a king
  23. chip — for betting
  24. court — for sport

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