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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.

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: pop · chip · ball · scale · pit · rest · face · key

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. chip — for betting
  3. key — the most important part
  4. rest — what's left
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. rest — what's left
  7. pop — to visit
  8. key — for a lock
  9. pit — in a race
  10. scale — size or range
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. scale — in music
  13. key — in music
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. chip — to eat
  17. face — to point toward
  18. rest — a break
  19. ball — a dance
  20. face — part of the head
  21. ball — a great time
  22. face — to confront
  23. pop — music
  24. pit — a hole

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