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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. last — finally
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — the most important part
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. last — final
  8. field — a subject
  9. key — in music
  10. club — a group
  11. club — for golf
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. field — for sport
  15. last — to go on
  16. chip — for betting
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. field — farmland
  19. bear — the animal
  20. chip — to eat
  21. can — a tin
  22. bear — the animal
  23. can — to be able to
  24. can — a tin

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