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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: straw · season · content · rush · key · firm · chip · mouse

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. season — of the year
  3. season — in sport
  4. key — for a lock
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. firm — a company
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. chip — to eat
  9. key — in music
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. rush — hurry
  14. content — happy
  15. chip — for betting
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. content — the amount
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. firm — decided
  21. key — the most important part
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. firm — steady

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