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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.

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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. club — for golf
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. bass — low music
  5. kid — to tease
  6. suit — to fit
  7. chip — for betting
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. kid — child
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. chip — to eat
  13. suit — in cards
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. club — a group
  17. key — for a lock
  18. club — for dancing
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. suit — clothes
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bass — the fish

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