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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 116 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: nail · ground · chip · object · key · swing · charge · march

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. chip — for betting
  3. ground — the earth
  4. ground — crushed
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. swing — in golf
  7. chip — to eat
  8. march — music
  9. march — the month
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. key — the most important part
  12. swing — to play on
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. ground — a position
  15. charge — a price
  16. object — an aim
  17. charge — in control
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. march — the month
  20. object — to protest
  21. key — for a lock
  22. swing — music
  23. charge — electricity
  24. key — in music

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