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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. pitch — completely
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. ground — a position
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. ground — the earth
  8. ground — crushed
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. key — in music
  12. squash — to crush
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. ball — a great time
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. chip — to eat
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. ball — a dance
  19. branch — a division
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. key — the most important part
  22. chip — for betting
  23. squash — the sport
  24. leaves — of a tree

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