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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  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. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. rest — a break
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. cue — a signal
  6. track — a path
  7. cue — a hint
  8. track — to keep track
  9. capital — a city
  10. cue — for pool
  11. track — a song
  12. band — a ring
  13. capital — money
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. rest — what's left
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. band — a music group
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. chip — for betting
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. rest — what's left
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  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