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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. court — of law
  3. row — to paddle
  4. object — to protest
  5. shower — rain
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. shower — to wash
  9. chip — for betting
  10. object — a thing
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. row — a line
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — a break
  15. rest — what's left
  16. court — for sport
  17. key — the most important part
  18. chip — to eat
  19. court — of a king
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. key — for a lock
  24. object — an aim

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