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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: suit · chip · land · snap · board · fork · scale · key

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. scale — size or range
  3. land — a country
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — for betting
  6. suit — to fit
  7. scale — in music
  8. key — the most important part
  9. board — to get on
  10. fork — in a road
  11. land — ground
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. suit — in cards
  14. key — in music
  15. board — a committee
  16. key — for a lock
  17. snap — to click
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. land — to come down
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. scale — for weighing

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