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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 is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. key — the most important part
  3. key — in music
  4. craft — a skill
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. content — happy
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. craft — boats
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. track — to keep track
  12. chip — to eat
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. track — a path
  18. chip — for betting
  19. key — for a lock
  20. wake — a trail
  21. content — the amount
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. fan — to cool the air

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