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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. key — for a lock
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. chip — for betting
  5. mark — a grade
  6. dip — to sink
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. chip — to eat
  9. last — finally
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. bulb — for light
  14. last — final
  15. mark — a trace
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. deal — to handle
  18. key — in music
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bulb — for light
  22. key — the most important part
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. dip — a sauce

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