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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: rush · club · present · chip · rule · mouse · nail · key

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. rule — government
  5. chip — to eat
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rule — a law
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. present — there
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. present — a gift
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. club — for golf
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. chip — for betting
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — in music
  22. club — a group
  23. key — for a lock
  24. present — the time now

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