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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 124 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. key — in music
  3. key — for a lock
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. swing — in golf
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. chip — to eat
  8. swing — music
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. file — a tool
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. file — a document
  16. key — the most important part
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. file — a line of people
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. swing — to play on
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. chip — for betting

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