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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.

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: mate · prune · net · key · deal · lie · sharp · chip

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. key — the most important part
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. mate — a partner
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. chip — to eat
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. lie — to recline
  9. prune — to trim
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. mate — a friend
  12. key — in music
  13. net — for catching
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. chip — for betting
  17. sharp — clever
  18. deal — to handle
  19. key — for a lock
  20. mate — to breed
  21. net — after costs
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. prune — to trim

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