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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. key — the most important part
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. key — in music
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. chip — for betting
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. stem — to come from
  10. pitch — completely
  11. chip — to eat
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. sharp — clever
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cue — a signal
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. kick — in football
  19. dip — to sink
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. key — for a lock
  22. cue — a hint
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. kick — with a leg

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