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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. file — a document
  3. band — a ring
  4. cell — in biology
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. key — for a lock
  7. key — in music
  8. band — a music group
  9. file — a line of people
  10. mug — to rob
  11. chip — to eat
  12. rock — music
  13. chip — for betting
  14. cell — a phone
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. file — a tool
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mark — a grade
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. mark — a trace
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. rock — a stone
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. key — the most important part

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