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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.

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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: cap · key · cabinet · mark · clip · chip · date · fine

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  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 — the most important part
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. mark — a grade
  4. chip — to eat
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. fine — high quality
  7. cap — a lid
  8. key — in music
  9. clip — to cut
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. chip — for betting
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. clip — a video
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fine — all right
  17. date — the fruit
  18. mark — a trace
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. cap — of ice
  22. clip — for paper
  23. key — for a lock
  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