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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. cue — a signal
  4. rest — what's left
  5. face — part of the head
  6. chip — for betting
  7. face — to confront
  8. chip — to eat
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — to fit
  11. land — to come down
  12. pound — a weight
  13. land — a country
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. rest — a break
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. face — to point toward
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. rest — what's left
  21. cue — a hint
  22. suit — clothes
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. land — ground

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