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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 116 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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. chip — to eat
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. stock — goods
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. cue — a hint
  10. bat — the animal
  11. drill — a practice
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. drill — army training
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. cue — a signal
  18. drill — the tool
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. cue — for pool
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. stock — shares

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