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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. game — wild animals
  3. chip — for betting
  4. present — the time now
  5. stock — shares
  6. cue — for pool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. game — a match
  12. stock — goods
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. cue — a hint
  15. rest — what's left
  16. present — there
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. rest — what's left
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. rest — a break
  22. chip — to eat
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. cue — a signal

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