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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: net · rush · key · object · can · rash · hand · chip

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. object — an aim
  4. rash — hasty
  5. can — a tin
  6. object — to protest
  7. net — in sport
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — to eat
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. net — for catching
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. hand — in cards
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. net — after costs
  17. rash — a series
  18. key — the most important part
  19. rush — hurry
  20. key — for a lock
  21. key — in music
  22. object — a thing
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. hand — help

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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