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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. game — wild animals
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. land — a country
  6. key — in music
  7. fine — high quality
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. land — ground
  10. bulb — for light
  11. drill — the tool
  12. key — the most important part
  13. drill — a practice
  14. fine — all right
  15. bulb — for light
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. key — for a lock
  18. drill — army training
  19. chip — for betting
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. chip — to eat
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. game — a match

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