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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. cue — a hint
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. chip — to eat
  6. firm — steady
  7. wax — to grow
  8. firm — a company
  9. season — of the year
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. cue — a signal
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. ground — the earth
  14. ground — a position
  15. cue — for pool
  16. chip — for betting
  17. ground — crushed
  18. key — for a lock
  19. chair — a leader
  20. firm — decided
  21. key — the most important part
  22. season — in sport
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. chair — a professorship

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