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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. chip — to eat
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. cue — for pool
  5. hand — help
  6. stand — to bear
  7. chip — for betting
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pop — soda
  13. chair — a leader
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. cue — a hint
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. pop — music
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. hand — in cards
  20. cue — a signal
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. pitch — completely

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