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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chip · stick · net · bay · bear · object · drill · key

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. net — for catching
  3. drill — the tool
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. object — a thing
  6. key — the most important part
  7. chip — for betting
  8. object — an aim
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. net — after costs
  11. chip — to eat
  12. drill — a practice
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. key — for a lock
  16. object — to protest
  17. drill — army training
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. net — in sport
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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