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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: trunk · fine · ball · mouse · present · last · chip · key

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a great time
  7. key — for a lock
  8. fine — all right
  9. last — final
  10. fine — high quality
  11. present — there
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. key — the most important part
  14. last — to go on
  15. present — the time now
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chip — to eat
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. key — in music
  21. last — finally
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. ball — a dance
  24. mouse — for 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