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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. net — in sport
  3. chest — of your body
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. key — for a lock
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. club — a group
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. chest — of your body
  11. key — in music
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rock — music
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. chip — for betting
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. club — for golf
  19. net — after costs
  20. club — for dancing
  21. chest — a box
  22. key — the most important part
  23. rock — a stone
  24. chip — to eat

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