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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  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. chip — to eat
  2. lean — thin
  3. object — a thing
  4. key — in music
  5. pit — a hole
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. lean — to bend
  8. key — for a lock
  9. chip — for betting
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. object — to protest
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. key — the most important part
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. pit — in a race
  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