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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. content — the amount
  3. can — a tin
  4. chip — for betting
  5. cue — a signal
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. capital — money
  9. capital — a city
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. can — a tin
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. cue — a hint
  15. content — happy
  16. can — to be able to
  17. chip — to eat
  18. last — to go on
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. last — finally
  21. last — final
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. capital — a big letter

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