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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
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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: tube · chip · bay · key · saw · mug · toast · land

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. key — in music
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mug — a face
  5. saw — the tool
  6. mug — to rob
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. key — for a lock
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. key — the most important part
  11. land — to come down
  12. land — a country
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. land — ground
  15. toast — bread
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. tube — a container
  19. chip — for betting
  20. mug — a cup
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. chip — to eat
  24. toast — the most admired

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