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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. rest — a break
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. pop — soda
  5. chip — to eat
  6. deal — to handle
  7. pop — music
  8. chip — for betting
  9. key — the most important part
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. key — for a lock
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. race — a contest
  16. key — in music
  17. race — the arms race
  18. dip — to sink
  19. rest — what's left
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. race — humankind
  22. rest — what's left
  23. pop — to visit
  24. deal — a big deal

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