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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. chip — to eat
  5. bass — low music
  6. object — an aim
  7. content — the amount
  8. object — to protest
  9. cue — a signal
  10. object — a thing
  11. wound — an injury
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. content — happy
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. chip — for betting
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. wound — an injury
  21. cue — a hint
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bass — the fish

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