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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
468
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: spell · chest · cabinet · hide · racket · pop · key · chip

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. spell — magic
  3. chip — to eat
  4. key — in music
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. spell — letters
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. key — the most important part
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pop — music
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. chest — of your body
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. chest — a box
  18. key — for a lock
  19. chip — for betting
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pop — soda
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. spell — a short time
  24. hide — to keep secret

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