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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 120 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: pop · prune · chip · safe · key · bat · wave · object

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. pop — to visit
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. object — an aim
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bat — the animal
  8. object — a thing
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. key — the most important part
  11. key — for a lock
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — music
  16. object — to protest
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. chip — for betting
  22. chip — to eat
  23. prune — to trim
  24. chip — in a computer

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