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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  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. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. season — in sport
  5. root — the cause
  6. key — for a lock
  7. firm — decided
  8. mug — a face
  9. chip — for betting
  10. season — of the year
  11. pound — a weight
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. root — of a plant
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. firm — a company
  16. mug — a cup
  17. key — the most important part
  18. firm — steady
  19. root — of a word
  20. chip — to eat
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. mug — to rob
  23. key — in music
  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