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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. club — a group
  6. chip — for betting
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. key — the most important part
  10. ground — the earth
  11. ground — a position
  12. wax — to grow
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. club — for dancing
  17. key — for a lock
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. chair — a leader
  22. ground — crushed
  23. chip — to eat
  24. club — for golf

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