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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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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: key · calf · last · wake · charge · chip · rock · saw

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. key — in music
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. charge — in control
  6. wake — a trail
  7. charge — a price
  8. charge — electricity
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. chip — for betting
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. chip — to eat
  16. key — for a lock
  17. saw — the tool
  18. key — the most important part
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. rock — music
  21. last — finally
  22. rock — a stone
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. last — final

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