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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. chip — for betting
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. suit — to fit
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. fork — in a road
  7. cue — a hint
  8. suit — in cards
  9. capital — a city
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. chest — of your body
  12. cue — for pool
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. chest — a box
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. chip — to eat
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. chest — of your body
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. cue — a signal
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. capital — money

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