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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 124 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. land — a country
  5. key — the most important part
  6. can — a tin
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. key — for a lock
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — hurry
  12. key — in music
  13. bear — the animal
  14. roll — a cake
  15. can — a tin
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. can — to be able to
  18. chair — a leader
  19. bear — the animal
  20. chip — for betting
  21. land — ground
  22. land — to come down
  23. roll — a list
  24. chip — to eat

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