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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. present — there
  4. fine — high quality
  5. firm — decided
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. key — in music
  10. present — a gift
  11. firm — a company
  12. chip — for betting
  13. drill — the tool
  14. firm — steady
  15. drill — a practice
  16. drill — army training
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — what's left
  19. fine — all right
  20. key — the most important part
  21. rest — a break
  22. chip — to eat
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. present — the time now

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