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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 116 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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. key — in music
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. charge — electricity
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. chip — for betting
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. ball — a dance
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bulb — for light
  12. chip — to eat
  13. can — to be able to
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — for a lock
  16. ball — a great time
  17. charge — in control
  18. snap — to click
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. charge — a price
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. bulb — for light

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