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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.

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: file · kick · trunk · chip · key · degree · nail · bass

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. file — a tool
  3. degree — an amount
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. chip — to eat
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. degree — from a university
  10. kick — in football
  11. file — a document
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. bass — low music
  15. key — for a lock
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. degree — temperature
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. key — in music
  20. file — a line of people
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bass — the fish

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