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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. branch — a division
  4. cue — for pool
  5. kick — in football
  6. cue — a signal
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. key — in music
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chip — for betting
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. key — for a lock
  13. row — a line
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. pound — a weight
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. cue — a hint
  19. row — to paddle
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. key — the most important part
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. kick — a thrill

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