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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. swing — to play on
  3. key — in music
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. cue — for pool
  6. key — the most important part
  7. chip — for betting
  8. swing — music
  9. key — for a lock
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. cue — a signal
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. tube — the underground
  14. cue — a hint
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. chip — to eat
  17. tube — a container
  18. swing — in golf

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