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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. key — the most important part
  4. chip — to eat
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. rest — what's left
  8. key — in music
  9. chip — for betting
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a committee
  15. pitch — completely
  16. rest — what's left
  17. fork — in a road
  18. key — for a lock
  19. bass — low music
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. bass — the fish
  24. rest — a break

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