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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.

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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: pit · net · mine · key · pound · safe · chip · face

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. net — after costs
  3. net — in sport
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. face — to confront
  8. key — in music
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. mine — for digging
  11. chip — for betting
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. face — to point toward
  16. pit — a hole
  17. key — for a lock
  18. face — part of the head
  19. net — for catching
  20. pound — a weight
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. key — the most important part

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