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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. chip — for betting
  4. file — a line of people
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pop — soda
  8. rock — a stone
  9. band — a music group
  10. pop — to visit
  11. key — the most important part
  12. file — a tool
  13. key — in music
  14. bulb — for light
  15. file — a document
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. rock — music
  19. pop — music
  20. band — a ring
  21. chip — to eat
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. key — for a lock
  24. chip — in a computer

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