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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. capital — money
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. chip — for betting
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. cue — a signal
  9. chip — to eat
  10. rush — hurry
  11. capital — a city
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. cue — a hint
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. date — the fruit

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