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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: key · mug · court · chip · squash · object · calf · wound

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. key — for a lock
  3. mug — to rob
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. chip — to eat
  6. court — of a king
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. mug — a cup
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. wound — an injury
  13. squash — to crush
  14. object — to protest
  15. wound — an injury
  16. object — a thing
  17. mug — a face
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. key — in music
  20. squash — the sport
  21. chip — for betting
  22. court — of law
  23. key — the most important part
  24. court — for sport

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