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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. chip — to eat
  3. cue — a hint
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. land — ground
  7. cue — for pool
  8. chip — for betting
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bear — the animal
  13. land — to come down
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. mate — a friend
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — to get on
  19. cue — a signal
  20. mate — a partner
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mate — to breed
  23. land — a country
  24. board — a flat piece

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