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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.

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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. swing — music
  3. present — the time now
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. present — there
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. spell — letters
  8. chip — to eat
  9. key — for a lock
  10. chip — for betting
  11. cell — a phone
  12. spell — magic
  13. swing — to play on
  14. key — in music
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. pitch — completely
  18. spell — a short time
  19. swing — in golf
  20. present — a gift
  21. vault — a safe
  22. key — the most important part
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pitch — a sports field

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