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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. key — in music
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. key — the most important part
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. root — of a plant
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. land — a country
  15. key — for a lock
  16. root — the cause
  17. land — to come down
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. root — of a word
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. chip — for betting
  22. land — ground
  23. chair — a leader
  24. mark — a trace

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