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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: key · bowl · track · arm · rock · chip · current · pit

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. pit — a hole
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. current — happening now
  7. key — for a lock
  8. chip — for betting
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. rock — a stone
  11. track — a song
  12. current — electric
  13. key — in music
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a path
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. chip — to eat
  20. current — of water
  21. pit — in a race
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. key — the most important part
  24. chip — in a computer

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