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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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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. cue — a hint
  3. chip — to eat
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. track — a song
  8. mine — for digging
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. track — a path
  11. lie — to recline
  12. game — wild animals
  13. firm — decided
  14. saw — the tool
  15. game — a match
  16. track — to keep track
  17. firm — a company
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a signal
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. saw — the tool
  24. firm — steady

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