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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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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: club · last · mug · bulb · chip · scale · key · deal

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. key — in music
  3. club — for golf
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mug — to rob
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. key — for a lock
  9. deal — to handle
  10. last — final
  11. mug — a face
  12. bulb — for light
  13. scale — in music
  14. club — a group
  15. last — to go on
  16. last — finally
  17. bulb — for light
  18. chip — for betting
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. scale — size or range
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. chip — to eat

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