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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. cell — a phone
  3. last — to go on
  4. cell — in biology
  5. lie — to recline
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. chip — for betting
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. last — finally
  14. key — the most important part
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. key — in music
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. last — final
  21. plane — a tool
  22. stand — to bear
  23. toast — bread
  24. plane — in geometry

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