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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. bass — the fish
  3. chip — for betting
  4. last — final
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. key — for a lock
  7. last — finally
  8. chip — to eat
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. key — in music
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. key — the most important part
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. bass — low music
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. last — to go on
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. sharp — clever
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bass — the instrument

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