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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 124 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.

Make a worksheet

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: straw · sharp · toast · chip · key · suit · fan · file

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. key — for a lock
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. file — a tool
  5. chip — to eat
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. file — a line of people
  8. key — the most important part
  9. suit — in cards
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. file — a document
  13. suit — clothes
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. key — in music
  19. sharp — clever
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. toast — bread

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