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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
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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: fine · mouse · chip · wind · prune · staff · object · key

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. prune — to trim
  4. object — a thing
  5. prune — to trim
  6. chip — for betting
  7. key — in music
  8. fine — high quality
  9. staff — a stick
  10. fine — all right
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. key — for a lock
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. chip — to eat
  15. object — to protest
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. object — an aim
  18. key — the most important part
  19. wind — moving air
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. staff — employees
  22. wind — moving air
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mouse — the animal

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