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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. object — an aim
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. court — for sport
  5. tear — from crying
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. key — in music
  9. object — a thing
  10. tear — to rip
  11. key — for a lock
  12. chip — to eat
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. tear — from crying
  16. hand — in cards
  17. court — of a king
  18. content — the amount
  19. key — the most important part
  20. content — happy
  21. hand — help
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. object — to protest
  24. court — of law

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