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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. chip — for betting
  3. cell — a phone
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. last — to go on
  6. chip — to eat
  7. roll — a list
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. roll — a cake
  11. last — final
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. rock — a stone
  14. last — finally
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. cell — in biology
  18. rock — music
  19. wake — a trail
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. cue — a hint
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. cue — a signal
  24. rock — to move gently

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