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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. chip — to eat
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. rash — a series
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — in music
  9. pop — to visit
  10. chip — for betting
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — a company
  13. cell — a phone
  14. cell — in biology
  15. firm — steady
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. key — for a lock
  18. pop — music
  19. bank — of a river
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rash — hasty
  22. bank — for money
  23. pop — soda
  24. cell — in a prison

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