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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — to eat
  4. key — in music
  5. key — for a lock
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. hand — in cards
  8. spell — a short time
  9. mark — a trace
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. spell — letters
  12. chip — for betting
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. vault — a safe
  18. hand — help
  19. spell — magic
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. pass — a permit
  22. snap — to click
  23. mark — a grade
  24. pass — to spend time

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