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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  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. chip — in a computer
  2. stock — shares
  3. pop — soda
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. pop — to visit
  6. key — in music
  7. stock — goods
  8. plane — a tool
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — a stick
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cue — for pool
  13. pop — music
  14. chip — to eat
  15. key — for a lock
  16. staff — employees
  17. chip — for betting
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. plane — an aircraft
  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