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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. fork — in a road
  5. chip — for betting
  6. cue — for pool
  7. fine — all right
  8. bound — obliged
  9. cue — a signal
  10. present — a gift
  11. present — there
  12. bound — certain
  13. present — the time now
  14. chip — to eat
  15. fine — high quality
  16. cue — a hint
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. wind — moving air
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bound — tied together
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. wind — moving air

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