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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. rest — what's left
  4. kick — in football
  5. object — to protest
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. key — in music
  9. chip — to eat
  10. object — a thing
  11. key — the most important part
  12. key — for a lock
  13. mate — to breed
  14. object — an aim
  15. rest — a break
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. content — the amount
  19. mate — a partner
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. content — happy
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. chip — for betting
  24. rest — what's left

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