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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: wave · key · band · chip · ball · mark · season · object

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. mark — a trace
  3. key — the most important part
  4. object — to protest
  5. band — a ring
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. key — in music
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. key — for a lock
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — in sport
  15. ball — a dance
  16. object — an aim
  17. object — a thing
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. chip — to eat
  20. ball — a great time
  21. mark — a grade
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. chip — for betting

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